It's Good To Be Back
by xo.Kyorii
Summary: Three stories, three authors, and three Christmas parties, made at three in the morning.
1. Jomatto

**Hi.**

**I am Jomatto, and I am here to announce that I have successfully hijacked Kyorii's account for the express purpose of trolling all of you. I bet you all cheered when you saw she updated. Nope. How did I crack the account? Funny you should ask, because it's a long story, but I'll be glad to— **

**Okay, jokes aside, I am pleased to announce a three-way collaboration between myself, Kyorii, and Redeeming Endeavor. No, you are not dreaming, so stop pinching your cheeks already. You're gonna hurt yourself at that rate. I assure you, this is, indeed, reality. And yes, we're just as excited as you are. **

**I would dare dub ourselves as the dream team, the miracle trio, and the trifecta of amazing. Putting the three of us together would surely tear the fabric of the time-space continuum, but because we're so awesome, we managed to keep the universe from spiraling out of control.**

**We each wrote a holiday-themed one-shot with several recurring elements, and I have the distinct honor of going first. After me is Redeeming Endeavor, and for the finale, Kyorii. Feel free to jump to your favorite author and start reading! **

**But, if you ask me, I'd advised you to read this one only and skip the rest. ;p**

**Without further ado, I present to you:**

_**An (Almost) Dramatic Return**_

That's not a smell you wake up to every day.

Breakfast; it reminds me of school. Every morning, I'd wake up and my nose would be filled with the sweet scent of eggs and toast while my brain was just totally toast, filled with stress about tests, essays, and homework. What a grind. That was a long time ago though, and the years have certainly flown by.

I throw the covers off and swing my legs over the edge. It takes a frightful amount of effort to pull through, but I manage it miraculously. I'm a late riser, and this bed is way too big for me—more accurately—I'm way too small for this bed.

I lick the inside of my mouth and grimace. Disgusting. Not only does my mouth taste like shit but I probably look like it too. There's only one person I'll allow to see me like this and that's my brother, Sora—who, incidentally, is the one cooking breakfast—and the owner of this apartment. My feet touch the hardwood floor tentatively. It's warm, not cold. I almost forgot; this is Destiny Islands. Hot year-round and warm at worst. I'm home again.

You'd think I'd welcome the heat but I prefer the cold of Radiant Garden where I've lived for the last decade. I moved there for college and never left. It snows there, unlike here, so the holidays actually feel like the holidays. Spending cold winter nights next to the heater wrapped up in a blanket is my idea of a good time, not this warm tropical climate. I can't change where I was born. For better or worse, this is my home away from home.

A visit to my hometown was long overdue. Seasonal greeting cards can satisfy my parents for only so long. I shouldn't have been surprised when they sent Sora across the ocean to come fetch me. I'm not complaining. I'm fine anywhere as long as I've got internet and a big bowl of caramel popcorn. I'll fire up my dramas, laugh, cry, and experience gut-wrenching emotional catharsis. The reason I haven't visited in so long isn't because I hate my parents or anything like that. The real reason is pretty simple: I'm lazy.

It takes more than twelve hours to fly from Radiant Garden to Destiny Islands. Yeah, I ain't having none of that unless absolutely necessary. Sure, I can catch up on my dramas during the flight, but I need my candle-scented bubble baths too.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I smooth over my short hair and rub out the crust in my eyes. My stomach grumbles fiercely. Between making myself presentable or satisfying the most basic of all human urges, the choice is clear, and I leave the room to make way for the kitchen.

My soft footsteps catch Sora's attention. I lean on the counter and he shoots me a big, white, toothy grin. His blue eyes sparkle marvelously. How he manages to be so energetic in the morning has always eluded me. He's been chipper since the day we became siblings. "XiXi, you're awake."

XiXi, my nickname, is short for Xion. Only Sora can get away with calling me that—well, him and Terra. Who's Terra? Only the most magnificent male specimen to ever grace a television screen and the preeminent leading man of all the best dramas. I'll spare you the delicious details. I don't like to share, especially when it comes to my one and only.

"You're still wearing those old pajamas?" he asks. They're moogle-patterned and extremely comfortable. He was the one who bought me these. If I recall correctly, they were a holiday gift too.

"Of course." I've been rocking these pajamas since high school. My body hasn't changed one bit. I'm still the same: short, skinny, and compact. I hate it. Why did I have to get the short end of the DNA strand?

He laughs. "It's just weird to see you still wearing that. Anything I buy for Kairi, I see her in it once. After that? It disappears into her closet forever."

Kairi is Sora's girlfriend, and she's pretty, with auburn hair and a dazzling smile. I thought they were living together but I haven't seen her since she greeted me at the airport. The only traces of her are the things lying around the apartment, which Sora is quick to hide.

"Glad to have a girl around who actually appreciates you?" He puts out a strained smile. Oops. I may have touched a raw nerve. "Where is she anyways?"

"You know… busy with work." He coughs. "Hey, how about some brunch?"

"Serve it up. It smells great." Just like how mom used to make it. That's the thing about Sora; he will do every and anything to make you happy. He genuinely enjoys taking care of people. He's the better half of the Sora-Kairi combo. Any man willing to inherit recipes from his mom for his girlfriend is a definite keeper.

If you ask me, she's the one dragging him down. I'm not being fair though. I've known Kairi since high school, and if you know someone long enough, their faults are easy to spot. She leans on my brother like a crutch for the smallest things. He takes care of the cooking, the cleaning, and even the scheduling.

Practically speaking, Sora makes anyone a better person by virtue of freeing them up from the stress of living. If he could, he'd probably massage my throat just so I don't have to worry about breathing. We're worlds apart in that regard. If I wanted to partake in the joy of taking care of others, I'd just buy myself a cat.

I don't think Kairi's a bad person though. Every girl has a certain level of bitch to her—even me. My best friend in Radiant Garden is probably the biggest bitch I know. Her name's Larxene, and she is straight up insane, but I love her for it. On the scale of mildly crazy to balls out insanity, let's just say the phrase "calm your tits" applies literally. Keep in mind; she was drunk when she lost her shirt that one time. Then again, she's always "under the influence and high on life"—whatever that means.

A plate of hot toast slides before me. "Here you go." I marvel at the crisp golden texture, the bread fibers interwoven and glued together by gooey yolk. The slice floats in a puddle of sweet maple syrup. I pick it up and it melts in my mouth. Oh my god… It's so light and fluffy. Amazing—absolutely amazing. I can get used to this. "Next time you visit, you should stay and make me breakfast...for the rest of my life."

His head tilts in amusement. "Or you can move back home."

I shake mine. "Not happening."

"At least visit more often. It's not gonna be another ten years before I get to see my little sister again?"

"I can't make any promises." The thought is usually more painful than the reality. First steps are hard; like waking up in the morning, going on a jog, or saying "hello" to that one hot guy you always see at the coffee shop but you're too lame to approach. "As long as you keep improving your cooking, it'll give me something to look forward to."

"Demanding as ever." We finish up brunch and he takes my plate after I've licked it clean.

"So, what's the plan for today?" I ask. The plan for yesterday and the day before that was sleeping. Now that I've shaken off the jetlag, I can do more than wilt like a sad sunflower.

"Mom and Dad want to see you for dinner. As for tonight...well, there's this party." Still as popular as ever, I see. Maybe "popular" isn't the right word. Sora has a knack for getting along with anyone. You can be his worst enemy and he'll still treat you like his best friend.

"Then you'll drop me off before heading over to the party?" He looks at me like I'm stupid. Maybe I am. "What is it?"

"I'm not going to leave you alone. You're coming with me." Typical Sora. I wouldn't be alone anyways; not when I have Terra to comfort me.

"Am I even invited?"

"If I'm invited, then you're invited."

"They're your friends, not mine. They probably forgot about me."

He shakes his head strongly. "Nobody's forgotten about you. You just moved away for a while. They ask me about you every day." I find that hard to believe.

"Then you can tell them all about me at the party tonight. Leave me out of it."

"Look, just show up and say hi at least, and then you can forget all about them. You may not consider them friends, but they do."

"Fine." I don't know why I bother putting up a fight. In the end, he always wins.

"Great! You should probably wear something nice."

"What, my moogle pajamas aren't good enough?" I'm sent to my room to find something respectable. I realize that most of my clothes are too warm for the Islands. I packed sweaters, jackets, and cardigans for the trip because that's all I had. I decide on a mauve turtleneck and pale jeans. No need to go all out. My clubbing outfits are safely tucked away at home in the vault. God knows how Larxene gets me to wear those. We all want to feel sexy sometime. Oh, and before I forget, I pick up the gifts I bought for Mom and Dad. I don't want to arrive empty-handed. I still have my manners, mind you.

I enter Sora's modest vehicle and we start our trek down memory lane. The sights and sounds have been seared into my brain. It's hard to muster the enthusiasm to be excited by familiar surroundings. I don't get homesick. I go with the flow. I'm adaptable. It doesn't matter where I am. Spend enough time in one place and I'll wax nostalgic about it the next day.

We fly past a park that Sora and I used to play in when we were kids. We loved climbing up those trees. I still remember the time when the branch snapped and he fell on his head. He cried like a baby for hours. I'm surprised he got a bump on his head at all, considering that massive brown cushion called "hair." If it wasn't for that, he might've cracked his skull.

We pass another standby, the old ice cream shop. I bought sea salt popsicles from there all the time. I don't enjoy them like I used to. In middle school, the boys started giving me weird looks whenever I sucked on one. It wasn't until later did I realize why. I should've charged them for the show.

And, of course, who can forget about the last bastion of civilization in this uncivilized world: Destiny High, where many a dream died. As an institution to prepare us for the "real world," it did a terrible job. I don't feel any different since I graduated. Maybe once I get married and have a few kids, I might feel differently, but I'm fine right where I am. I'm still dreaming and I don't feel like waking up yet.

We pull up to the driveway of our old house. It's a classic single-story with an immaculate lawn lined with patches of wild flowers. A cobblestone path leads up to the front door. The house has gotten a new paintjob. It used to be green but now it's blue. I pick up my parents' gifts and exit the car.

"A little different on the outside but same on the inside," Sora comments. We arrive at the entrance and he opens it with his key. "We're here!"

When I come in, I'm met with an old sight: Mom in the kitchen and Dad on the TV. This is home, alright.

"You're back!" my mom greets. She comes out, apron on and all, and wraps me in a big warm hug. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Same here." Mom is awesome. She's the traditional "my kid can do no wrong" type. She took care of me too well. It might've crippled my independence a bit. It took me all of college to finally figure out how to live on my own. "Here, for you." I pull out the bouquet of flowers I was hiding behind my back. "They're all special flowers indigenous to Radiant Garden. I thought you might like it."

"These are wonderful." My mom's a florist. She likes flowers. The gift was a no brainer. "Thank you."

"And what about me?" my dad says, having gotten up from his comfy couch.

"For you, Dad, I got you this." I pull out a keyblade keychain, modeled after the mascot for the Destiny Islands blitzball team, the Keybladers. My dad is a fanatic. It'll be another trinket in his extensive collection of team memorabilia.

"Thanks. Be honest, you bought this at the airport, didn't you?"

"They don't sell these where I live, sadly." The flowers and the keychain are just small tokens. The real gift here is the pleasure of my company.

Dad hugs me and laughs. "I miss you. Good to see you back." The crowd suddenly erupts from the television. My dad lets go immediately and runs back to the TV. "Son of a—are you kidding me? I go away for one sec and the Nobodies score?! Get over here, Xion. It's bad luck for everybody to be at the front door." Dad and his crazy rituals; but some of my warmest memories are of us watching blitzball games together. He'd tried to arrange us in specific seating positions in hopes of a goal. It was like new age feng shui, but for sports success. I plop myself on the couch beside him.

"Have you already eaten?" Mom asks.

"Sora made brunch for me."

"Great. Dinner will be ready in a few hours. Make yourself comfortable. This will always be your home."

I'm in the Sunday afternoon of my youth. Pot roast in the oven, sports commentary in the air, and the lazy rays filtering through the backyard glass door, and in the reflection, I see myself whittling away the hours on my cell phone.

That reminds me, I have to update my photo of Sora. I can easily pull one off his MoogleBook page but he hasn't updated it since high school, and all his pictures have Kairi in it. When Larxene wanted to know what my brother looked like, she asked if he was still going out with high school girls.

I aim my phone camera at Sora to see him staring longingly at his cell phone. I snap the photo and the shutter sound prompts him to look up.

"What are you doing?"

"I have a friend who's interested in you."

"You're not trying to set me up, are you?"

"Lord no, unless…"

"I'm good," he says quickly. Too bad. He and Larxene would've made an intriguing combination. "Actually, there's something I want to talk to you about." He eyeballs dad. "But not here." This is new. I've never been one to offer advice. It's usually the other way around.

"Is my room still my room?"

"Why don't you go find out?"

I will. I get up to my dad's dismay—"Wait twenty more seconds, they're in striking distance!" —but for old time's sake, I indulge him and sit down, at which point, the Keybladers turn over the blitzball. "On second thought; leave, immediately."

"Love you too, Dad." Sora follows me into the hallway and I open up the old bedroom. It's still the same. "Creepy. It's like I died and mom doesn't want to let go."

Sora chuckles as he makes his seat on my bed. "There's no reason for them to touch this room, except to clean off the dust."

I sit down on my old chair and give it a whirl. It's all coming back to me, the late nights, the last second study sessions, and the wondrous naps. I don't have school anymore, but the idiots at work still stress me out. I'm a secretary, and as secretary, I have the thankless task of making sure people don't slack off. My co-workers especially appreciate it when I remind them that their assignments are several days overdue. Truth is, life doesn't change that much. Incompetence and slackers thrive wherever and whenever.

Sora makes himself comfortable, lying down with hands behind his head. "What ails you, brother?"

He stares at the ceiling for a few moments in confusion. "What does it mean when a girl ignores your texts?"

"That you're being creepy?" I get random texts every few weeks. At first, I wondered how my number was leaking out to strangers but I figured out that it was Larxene. Anytime I get a weird text, I block it instantly. She swears they're all upstanding young gentlemen, but asking me about the color of my panties is out of the question. They're white, for your information.

"She's my girlfriend," he deadpans.

"Even creeps have girlfriends."

"Be serious."

"Some context would help."

"That's the thing. I can't really think of anything that's changed. Everything seems to be fine. The only thing I can think of is that she's bored of me."

"Don't sell yourself short. Sure, you're a rock, but that's what makes you so...you. If she's bored of you, that's her problem, not yours." My words have no effect. I've never been good at pep talks. "Have you talked to her about it?"

"I can't talk to her because she's not talking to me." He sits up and squares his shoulders. "But maybe she'll talk to you."

"Why would she do that?"

"One: you're a girl, so you both have that in common." A brilliant observation. "Two: you're both close to me, and I hope you both care about me as much as I care for you two." Debatable. "And three: you're an outsider. With you, she doesn't have to worry about word getting out. You remember Selphie, right? She keeps secrets like a leaky faucet." I remember. She's even more annoying than Kairi, if that were possible. She acted so damn bubbly and enthusiastic about everything. It didn't help when she jumped to conclusions all the time, and as a result, inadvertently spread dumb rumors. I don't think I'll ever shake off the shame of being associated with Rai. Like, seriously?

"I think you're overestimating my value as a confidante."

"I trust you. She should be coming to the party tonight."

"Should be?"

"She's picking up Riku at the airport today. I would've taken care of it but she insisted, saying that I should spend more time with you."

Riku. The childhood crush of my dreams and the crusher of my childhood dreams. Riku was Sora's best friend, and as such, we spent a lot of time together growing up. He was also a gorgeous boy who became a gorgeous teenager, and I'd imagine, a gorgeous man. Someone that beautiful would be wasted on me. He's probably living it up and snorting coke off the bellies of supermodels. I'm nothing more than his best friend's sister. The dream is dead. "He doesn't live here?"

"Nah, he moved to Twilight Town a couple years ago for a job. The offer was too good to pass up."

"How is he?"

"Still my best friend. We keep in touch and, unlike you, he visits often."

"If you're trying to guilt trip me, it's not working." So Kairi's picking up Riku at the airport. I don't think she's the type, but I have to ask anyways. "Have you considered that there's someone else?"

"You mean if she's cheating on me?" He shakes his head vehemently. "That's impossible. She's not like that."

"Famous last words."

"You don't go out with someone for a decade and not know something like that. Being distant is one thing, but cheating? No way."

I shrug. I've watched too many dramas to see that kind of reasoning fall apart, but that's fictional. Reality is a lot more reliable. "Alright, if I see her at the party, I'll ask her about it. I'm warning you though, don't expect any miracles."

"Give it your best shot." He gives me a sly smirk. He knows me too well. I may give off the impression that I don't care, but in reality, what meager effort I offer is proof that I actually do give a damn, and that's certainly more than can be said for most people.

A familiar voice echoes through the house, "Dinner's ready!" Sora's cooking was great, but it's no match for the real deal. I'm already salivating.

"Let's eat." We arrive at the dinner table and I spot my dad looking bubbly. Guess the Keybladers won. Thank god. He would've gone on and on about why they lost if they hadn't. Mom lays out the plates and my stomach dances at the sight. It's a scrumptious feast. Forget grace, I dig in, as do the rest of my family. I would've liked to enjoy the food in silence but no homecoming meal is complete without an interrogation about work and my non-existent love life. Nothing exciting to report in both categories, I'm afraid.

"I'm good at the moment."

"You know, when I was your age, I already had the both of you," Mom states matter-of-factly.

"Those were different times. It's a new generation. We like to take things slow. No need to rush."

"I'm not saying you need to rush, it'll just be a load off my mind to know you're taken care of." I'm not even in my thirties yet. Let's not hit the panic button yet, okay, Mom?

"I can take care of myself just fine." I'm not looking for anything serious, but I can use someone to fluff my pillow, clean my sheets, and make my bed—and no, those aren't euphemisms. I'm a sloppy sleeper. When I wake up, half my face is covered in drool. Boyfriend? No. Manservant? Taking applications.

"Take all the time you need," my dad says, interjecting himself in the conversation. "Mom just wants to see some babies already."

I laugh. "If you want grandkids, you should look at Sora, not me."

Feeling everyone's eyes on him, Sora flusters. "Not my decision."

"Don't settle for anyone. Make sure he's the right guy. Bonus points if he's a Keyblader." If you're a fan of the team, you're A-Okay in Dad's book.

"In any case, Xion, the only way you'll find yourself a good man is if you look for him. I hope you'll find him sooner rather than later." I have more important things to worry about than finding a good man, like paying off my student loans, rent, car payments, and all the other bullshit that they forgot to tell you about when you grow up. The taxes in Radiant Garden are criminal.

"I'm still young." I get carded all the time when I go out with Larxene. I have mixed feelings about that.

Mom smiles at me weirdly. "Be happy." Be happy, she tells me. I don't know why, but to hear that is kind of annoying. Does she think I'm not happy or something? Whatever. This food's going to waste. Just eat.

I help Mom with the dishes afterwards and she tells me about the flower shop. It's doing well. She also tells me that Dad's gotten a promotion. He works for a toy company—more specifically, the shipping department of a toy company. He's manager of the warehouse now. Good for him. Only five more years before the house is fully paid off. Ah, the joys of homeownership.

"Any chance I'll inherit the house?" I ask cheekily.

"Get married and we'll think about it," Mom jokes. "Since you brought it up, Dad and I are thinking of moving to a smaller place. Since you two moved out, it's not like we need a big house anymore."

"Thinking of selling?"

"No. It's been a wonderful home." It really has. Many a memory was made here. "I hope you'll get to raise your kids here too." She never lets up, does she? She hums a familiar song as she wipes away the suds. Simple and clean.

Sora comes into the kitchen. "It's time to go."

"Go on. I can take care of the rest," my mom assures.

"Okay then." I wash my hands and dry them on a towel. "I'll visit again later."

"Make sure you enjoy yourself at the party."

On the way out of the kitchen, I wave to my dad in the living room. "Goodbye, Dad."

"Don't give me that." He gets up and squeezes me for dear life. "Great having you here. Come back soon."

"I'll make sure she does," Sora says. They see us out of the house and into the cool night air—cool by Island standards anyways. Sora shivers as we make our way to the car.

"This is barely room temperature for me."

"Just get in the car."

I'm cold blooded. It's taken a move to a completely different city to realize this, but I'd rather be cold than hot. I've had too many traumatic experiences waking up in a puddle of sweat during the scorching summers of past.

Sora backs out of the driveway and I realize that I have no idea where we're going. "Where's the party?"

"You remember Pence?" I attach the name to an obsessive gamer back in high school. He'd fit the prototypical definition of "loser," but I've long since discarded my petty notions. I admire their passion. We need more burning hearts, fist pumpers, and fiery eyes in this world.

"Vaguely."

"Believe it or not, he's the most successful out of all of us. I'm talking six figures annually."

"What the hell does he do?" He's probably a hotshot at Moogle or something.

"He runs a MoogleTube channel. He talks—more like rants—about video games. He's an internet celebrity, basically." The world truly is unfair. I take back what I said about passionate people. Burn him, burn him at the stake!

"Good for him."

"You remember that holiday party years ago in my senior year? Seifer's party." I remember it like it was yesterday, a painful reminder of opportunity loss. It was in that party that I stumbled in on Roxas and Naminé making out.

To make a long story short, Roxas was a boy I was close to and thought I might be falling for. The only reason I liked him was because he reminded me of Sora. Maybe I dodged a bullet with that one. One Sora's enough for me. Still, I recall being quite broken up about it. I gorged myself on chocolate-covered cashews and curled up on the floor with the sound of thunderstorms playing in an endless loop from my computer. Teenagers do have a flair for the dramatic.

"What about it?"

"Pence was emphatically not invited to that party. This year's party is revenge, made all the sweeter by a bigger house and hot tubs."

"He's got a hot tub?"

"No, he's got hot _tubs_. Plural."

"Can't say I'll miss Seifer." He was obnoxious, the sort whose life peaked in high school. They are forever doomed to the past, chasing after memories and unable to make new ones. Welcome to reality, we're all hamsters running in place.

"Pence has always been...what's the word? I don't know—_enthusiastic_. Ever since his channel took off, he's adopted a persona. It wasn't so bad in the beginning. They were clearly two different personalities but over the years, they've sorta...blended together. If he comes off as a little weird, now you know why."

"Did the success go to his head?"

"He's handled it about as well as any one of us could." If I was pulling in that kind of cash, that manservant position would be filled multiple times over. I'll even expand the job description to include other…benefits.

"Any old names I should be aware of?"

"I didn't know you cared," he says with mock surprise.

"I have great memory. It's a curse." I don't hate them; I just didn't care enough to stay connected.

"Let me think… If Pence is there, then Hayner's guaranteed, and if Hayner's there, then Olette probably won't show."

"Why's that?"

"Bad breakup between them."

"They were together?" I knew Olette. She was a nice girl and very studious. As for Hayner, I don't know him well.

"Yeah. Very hot and cold, on and off type deal. I wouldn't bother him too much. He and Pence have been hanging out a lot lately. Remember Wakka?"

"Who doesn't?" Even though he was born and raised on Destiny Islands, he spoke with the strangest accent. It wasn't even native.

"He and Lulu got married. They have a kid on the way."

"Wow. Guess one of us is living life on the fast track." Odd to think someone my age is having a kid. I still feel like one myself.

"Then there's Tidus and—oh, right, Axel too."

"Axel? I love that guy!" Him, me, and Roxas used to be best bros. Axel was the X-factor. With him around, you'd never know when a night might turn legendary. He reminds me a lot of Larxene, actually. Go figure. I might have a thing for the crazies.

"Roxas and Naminé. They're a matched set, always coming in a pair."

"All these years and still going strong?"

"You say that like I haven't been with Kairi since high school."

"You're not exactly going strong now, are you?"

He frowns. "We haven't split up...yet. My relationship's riding on you. Help a brother out!"

It always seemed like a waste for Sora to get tied up so young. He's a great guy and he would've fetched a premium price on the free market. Think of the possibilities. There's a lot of potential for him to have crazy love adventures. It would've been fun to see all the different girls he could've gone out with. Instead, they're all just Kairi. Boring.

"Sounds like a full house. This includes Riku and Kairi too?"

"Yup. Should be fun." Despite his words, he's awfully cagey—probably worried more about his relationship status than anything else. Our partying days are long behind us. I got over that phase in college. You can wake up with a hangover so many times before the charm of intoxication wears off. I hope it's a classy affair. Champagne and hor d'oeuvres, please.

We turn into a nice neighborhood where the houses are bigger, the cars faster, and the overall vibe richer. I've never been in this part of Destiny Islands. Two stories seem to be the bare minimum, with the standard being three. Huge balconies, classic columns, and lawns that are more like parks abound. If you wake up and look outside to see this, that's when you know you've hit the big time. "Which one is Pence's?"

"Guess."

"The one we're pulling into?" It's a big driveway with enough room to cram in ten cars. Past the driveway is the house, which is obscenely large compared to my apartment in Radiant Garden, but modestly sized compared to the neighbors. There's always someone better. "It looks really nice."

Pence went nuts with the decorations. The house is outlined by the usual string of lights, but where things get crazy is with the animatronic Santa sled that actually rolls across the roof, replete with "hohoho" sound effects and a train of bouncing reindeer. It may not be the biggest house, but it's definitely the flashiest.

"Wait till you get inside." Sora turns off the engine and reaches into the backseat, picking up what looks like a gift. It's wrapped in Sora's trademark sensibilities. The bow is tight, the pattern clean, and the box perfectly square. "This is our ticket in."

It's a short walk to the front door. Sora pushes the doorbell and a jingle plays. It sounds like a video game sound effect. I couldn't tell you what game though. The door swings open to reveal Pence. I gotta say, the years (and money) have been good to him. He looks great.

"Welcome to the party!" he greets. His eyes go from Sora to me, which prompts a few confused blinks, and then, the flash of recognition. "Oh _Xiiiiiiii_…" Ugh, I hate it when people do that. That got old since middle school.

"Hello, Pence." He spreads his arms out for a hug but I sidestep him. He shrugs it off like a champ.

"What, no love for the host?"

"No hug without just cause, I'm afraid."

"Cold as ever. I love it. Glad to see you haven't changed one bit." The comment doesn't sit right with me.

"I'm not that cold, am I?" I look at Sora, but his averted gaze tells me otherwise.

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm not starving for attention. I've got more than I can handle. Come on in. Must be cold outside." Depends on who you ask. I think it's quite warm. "Wait, Sora. You got your gift? I can't let you in without it."

"Right here." Sora holds up the shiny box to Pence's delight.

He welcomes us in graciously. The interior is nothing special. Carpet, some posters on the walls, but nothing like my imagination painted. I was expecting marble floors and hanging chandeliers. He seems to have retained the decorative sensibilities from his days as a regular Joe. We follow him into the living room where the other guests are.

"Feel free to do whatever. My house is your house, as long as you don't wreck the place." There are television screens everywhere, some showing TV and others hooked up to video games consoles. It's like a mini arcade. Snug in the corner is a huge tree decorated with random tchotchkes and unfamiliar decorations. It's almost as if the tree is screaming out, "I'm different, look at me!" What a hipster.

"And over here, we have the food." Pence points us to a table filled with fine catering. There are pigs in blankets, oysters, carrot sticks, mushrooms, and all manner of high-end appetizers. Too bad I already ate dinner. "Try the punch. It's special."

"That's a throwback," says Sora. "Seifer spiked his punch too, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but this is the good stuff. I'm talking top shelf quality. None of that bottom of the barrel shit that passed for alcohol before we knew any better. It's delicious. One of my fans recommended the recipe to me. Calling it punch would be a disservice."

"Sora did tell me you were a net celebrity. How does that work exactly?"

He smiles broadly, almost licking his lips in anticipation. I have a feeling he loves answering this question every time he gets it. "The key is to be yourself."

"I'm not so sure about that," Sora sneaks in snidely.

"Okay, the key is to be an amplified, more awesome version of yourself. People on the internet aren't looking for something deep. They want personality. That's what I offer. It also helps that I know my shit like no one's business. I don't take it for granted. I know I'm in a good spot. I can't thank my fans enough." He takes a swig of the punch. "That hits the spot! What about you, Xi? After you went off to Radiant Garden, you literally dropped off the face of the earth. We haven't heard from you in years!"

"Well, you know… I've been eating, been sleeping, been breathing—living, basically."

"She's a secretary, presently single and not in the mood for socializing," Sora explains for me. He sticks his tongue when I look at him.

"That's great." I raise an eyebrow at Pence. Sounds like I should be glad that I'm alive at all. "Life doesn't have to be a roller coaster to be fun. As long as you enjoy what you're doing, it's all good."

"And what if we don't enjoy it?"

"Then find something you do enjoy, and hold on to it and never let go."

"If we can all only be as fortunate as you." He offers a sympathetic smile.

"If all else fails, latch on to the most successful guy you know." He winks. "Would you like a free ride on the Pence Express?"

Before I can decline politely, someone decides to step in. "Trying that line again? Her brother's right there, man!" It's a bit shocking to see the kids in your memory as full grown adults. In some cases, they look the same, and in others, they might as well be completely different people. The only reason I'm able to recognize this man as Hayner is because of his voice. He doesn't fare so well compared to Pence, but I'll chalk it up to a bad breakup.

"I'm just joking," Pence says.

"Don't be fooled by him, the dude's a beast."

"A beast?"

"Once you become a celebrity, that's when the bitches start lining up. The internet done got Pence laid."

"You're stretching things a bit," Pence argues. "The internet didn't get me laid, okay? I got myself laid."

Hayner laughs it off. "You think I don't know about your list of 'number one fans?' You should throw me some of those numbers. Don't hog all the action for yourself." Pence, for all his confidence, begins to show signs of embarrassment. Who'da thunk it? Pence, out of everyone, is living the life: getting paid and getting laid.

"I'm happy for you, Pence, even though I'm a little jealous, but who wouldn't be?"

"Thanks, Xi. That means a lot coming from you. You don't get to be popular without getting a bunch of haters too. My fans are my fans, but friends are friends. We may not have been close, but there's no doubt that we're friends." I like the sound of that. The video game jingle rings out loud and clear over the music. "New guests. Gotta play the part. I'll catch up with you guys later." He's off to greet the newcomers, leaving me with Hayner.

"How's it going?" He seems to be drunk. Breakups are hard. I've gone through a couple myself but it's nothing a drama marathon couldn't fix. Okay, maybe two drama marathons, and with lots of ice cream.

"I'm doing just fine. What about you?"

He shoves his hands into his pockets and wobbles. It could pass for a new type of dance, the Pocket Wobble. "I don't know if you've heard, but I just broke up with Olette recently."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, well, it is what it is. What can I do about it, you know?"

"Nothing much." He shuffles awkwardly. Does he want my advice or something else? "You know what I like to do after a bad breakup?" He shakes his head. "I like to take a mental vacation. Get my mind off things and watch some dramas."

He considers the thought seriously. "I don't know if I'll be in the mood for that."

"The mood doesn't matter. Dramas exist to arouse our imagination, and they highlight the absurdity of fantasy against our dull reality. It's the contrast I find most interesting. The worse you feel about life, the more dramas have to offer. You'd think it'd make you feel worse about the world, but what it actually does is give me hope. It's a guide to a world that can be, outlined in all the situations, the moments, and the reactions. It has the words for those times when you have no words. And when everything comes together in the end, despite the hardships, the conflicts, and against all odds, that's when you know that there's light at the end of the tunnel."

His mouth opens and closes like a goldfish. "Umm… Which one would you recommend then?" I begin compiling a mental list of all my favorite dramas but my face must've tipped him off. "On second thought, what was the last one you watched?"

"Mister Cinderella. It's about a rich guy who pretends to be a poor guy because the girl he falls for is—"

"Okay. I think I'll start with that."

I suddenly feel very embarrassed. This is the only topic in the world that gets me fired up. Once I get going, it's hard to stop. "Sorry, I get carried away when it comes to—"

"Nah, it's fine. I think it's cool. Reminds me of Pence, actually."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It is," he says, smiling softly.

"Sorry about Olette though. You'll get over her soon."

"Yeah, it's not like it's the end of the world. It's just as setback. Not like… she was supposed to be my _soul mate _or anything like that…" He makes an odd noise, like choking on a sniffle. "Hold that thought, I'm gonna get some more punch." I think he wants to be left alone. I'll happily oblige. I think things will turn out well for him though. Someone new will come along and blow his mind, among other things.

I turn around, and to my surprise, Sora's not there. I've gotten used to his overbearing supervision. I spot him on the couch with his eyes glued to his cell phone. I feel sorry for him. He can't enjoy this great party without Kairi hanging over his head like a guillotine.

It's time I partake in some of the refreshment. I take a ladle and pour myself a cup. Pence didn't cheap out on the party favors. The cups are made of glass, not out of red plastic. I sip a sample. Whoa. It lives up to the hype; it's the tastiest punch I've ever tasted. The word "punch" doesn't quite do it justice.

Thanks to Larxene, I've learned that my tolerance for alcohol is remarkably high. She probably isn't the best measuring stick though. The same amount that gets me a bit tipsy has her tripping over her own panties. Don't ask me how they dropped.

The new guests are Wakka and Lulu, and like Sora mentioned, she is plainly pregnant with a baby bump that, despite Lulu's best effort, will not be restrained by belts. I'll never understand her fascination for buckles, but I'd imagine their bedroom hijinks to be quite kinky. Trailing behind them is Tidus, who makes a straight line for me—correction: a straight line for the punch. The thirst is real. It's only when he brushes against me on accident does he realize I'm here.

"Oh, sorry about that." When he sees my face, a brief glimmer of recognition flits across his eyes. "Wait… You're...Xi...Xi…?"

"Xion," I fill in for him.

"Oh yeah. Sora's little sister." That's the reaction I'm expecting. Remember me not as I am, but only as Sora's little sister.

"That's me."

"Wow. I thought you like, died or something." I find that mildly offensive.

"Fortunately, I am alive and well."

"Cool. Did you like, just come back recently?" He grabs a cup, inspects it for a second, looks around, and grabs a bowl instead. Does he actually plan to drink out of that thing?

"Just for the holidays."

"How long has it been since you were here?" He doesn't even use the ladle. He scoops the punch wholesale with the bowl.

"Bout ten years, I'd say."

"Damn." He looks over at Wakka and Lulu. "You ever get the feeling there's a lot of catching up you have to do?" His words hold a tinge of regret.

"What do you mean?"

"All the people that you used to know...getting married, having kids, a career—the works. I feel like nothing's changed for me since high school."

"That's not a bad thing." Because I'm the same too, and it's not like my life's been a disaster—just uneventful.

"I just don't want to be left behind."

"You still have a lot left to look forward to. I'm sure you'll find someone, get married, have kids, retire, and then travel the world." That's usually how it goes, right? I left out the part where he gets divorced and pays alimony for the rest of his working life.

"Yeah," he says, almost scoffing. "Well, nice talking with you." He leaves with his bowl filled to the brim. I would love to see him face-dunk it. I'm not the friendliest person around, I admit, but he was kind of a dick, no?

I scan the room and pin old names to new faces. There's Selphie, who looks surprisingly comfortable being alone. I thought she'd be surrounded by guys considering how hopelessly romantic she was. I see Yuffie busting out dynamic dance moves in front of a TV. She was a dedicated athlete back in school. Glad to see she hasn't lost a step. Then there's Yuna, Rikku, and Paine, who used to play in a band together called The Gullwings. The rest I barely recognize and while there's the potential to get to know them better, I'd rather focus on the sweet taste of this out-of-this-world punch.

"Holy shit," a voice cries from behind. I spin around and my jaw drops; it's Axel! "It's really you!" I give him a big warm hug. Unlike Pence, he deserves it. We actually hung out together. Imagine that; friendly treatment for old friends. He's retained his unruly red locks and teardrop tattoos. It always did give him a roguish charm.

"Are you a respectable gentleman or still as crazy as ever?"

"I can't be both?" If any guy can pull it off, it's him, although it's hard to see how. "Damn, Xi. All this time and you never ring me up?"

"Was I supposed to?"

"Nah, but it'd be nice to hear from you once in a while." I like to take my friends for granted. It doesn't matter whether it's been one day or one decade. I'll treat you like it was yesterday. "Knowing you, I should be lucky if I crossed your mind once in a blue moon."

"Plenty of blue moons on Radiant Garden," I say, smiling. Axel and Roxas were my two best friends back in the day. Roxas and I were pretty similar. We were cranky, sarcastic, and lonely pretenders. Axel, however, was the breath of fresh air. He wanted to do crazy things and dragged us along for the ride. I was a little more willing than Roxas to go the extra mile though.

"It's just too bad that you left before I had a chance to cross one off my list." Ever the forward thinker, Axel had put together his bucket list by junior year. He struck out many tasks during high school; I'm hard pressed to think of anything he hasn't already accomplished.

"What do you have left?"

"This one is a very special one since it involves you, me, and Roxas." His devilish smirk tells me there's more. I don't like where this is going.

"Should I even ask?"

"The tricycle, Xi! Come on, haven't you ever wondered—fantasized about it? And who better than your two best buds?"

"I shouldn't be surprised but… Wow. Seriously? No. Besides, Roxas is already attached."

"Fine, throw in Naminé too." His eyes light up. "That's even better! The more, the merrier!"

I shake my head in disbelief. I know he's only half serious, but that's more serious than I'm comfortable with. "How long have you been thinking about this?"

"Ever since you left, babe."

"Yeah? Well, you better stop thinking about it because it's never going to happen."

He accepts defeat gracefully. "Worth a shot. Had to see what you'd say before crossing it off. It was only your absence that kept hope alive."

"It doesn't have to be me, does it? Aren't there plenty of girls around?"

"Sorry, you're the only one allowed."

"Says who?"

"Says my girlfriend." Stop the presses. Axel, crazy Axel, has a girlfriend? I can barely believe he can hold down a job, much less a relationship.

"You're shitting me."

"How did you think I became a respectable young gentleman?"

"Through practice and timely epiphanies?" I search the room with my eyes. "Is she here?"

"Unfortunately, she's home for the holidays, and home isn't here."

"You have to introduce me to her sometime. I wanna see the girl who whipped your ass. She's either insane or a real prim and proper type. I bet she's a princess." That's the formula. The wild guy is tamed by the conservative girl and they both rub off on each other. I can see the scenario so clearly. It's just like in that one drama where—

"Keep guessing. The only way you'll find out is if you stick around."

I offer an apologetic smile. "Good luck with that."

"Who needs luck? I'm looking for a miracle. There's gotta be a way to keep you here forever. Should I bust out the rope and chains?"

"Keep it in the bedroom," I joke.

Our esteemed host took this opportunity to make an announcement. "Attention, good friends! I'm pleased to announce that everybody on my guest list has officially been accounted for—meaning, it's time to get down and dirty."

I look to Axel for answers. "Down and dirty?"

"I heard that!" Pence yells, jabbing his finger in my direction. Now that's just rude. "Can you say," he slips on a red hat with a fluffy ball at the end, "Secret Santa?"

Before he can continue, a familiar figure tugs on his sleeve. It's Roxas. I almost choked on my spit when I saw him. Where the heck did he come from? To my dismay, he looks good—surprisingly good—glowing even. I can almost discern a divine halo surrounding him. So that's what a man in love looks like. Where's that goddamned punch? He whispers something in Pence's ear.

"Wait a sec, there's still one more announcement. Take it away, Roxas."

The blond looks over the audience, eyes drinking in the presence of good friends and acquaintances. His eyes widen when they fall on me. He recovers quickly, however, and clears his throat perhaps more harshly than intended. "Hi everybody, I just wanted to make a simple announcement. Nine years ago, on this day, Naminé and I got together in a wonderful relationship that's still going strong to this day. I wanted to take things to the next level, so I proposed to her. She said 'yes.' We're getting married!"

Cue the celebratory cheers. Everybody whoops, hollers, and yells like my dad when the Keybladers score a goal. The news isn't _that_ exciting. Anyone with half a brain could see this coming from a mile away. The true surprise is that it didn't happen sooner. Each of the guests pour out their heartfelt congratulations.

Suddenly, I feel a profound connection with Tidus. I need to find myself a bowl. I guess I should be happy for him, but I'm finding it hard to muster the kindness. That's life for you. People get together, people split, and others, like me, watch it all unfold. The lucky girl emerges from the crowd and joins her fiancé as the center of attention. Bask in the glory while you still can. Don't come crawling to me when you've maxed out your mortgage trying to pay for three kids, a minivan, and marriage counseling sessions because you're all feeling trapped in a dead-end relationship. Okay, so I'm a little bitter. Who wouldn't be? I need me some more punch.

A hand lands on my shoulder. "Xi."

I put on my best smile before turning around. "Congratulations, Roxas."

"Thanks. Hey, I know it's been a long time, but I was just wondering if we were still friends?" That's the first thing he says when he sees me? Not even a "hello" or a "great to see you!"?

"Sure. Why wouldn't we?" He's not worth the effort of hating, and it makes me feel really bad too. I breathe in slowly and try to calm myself down. Relax, Xi, don't flip out and tear his head off.

"It's just—after you left for Radiant Garden, I never heard from you. Even before that, you were distant."

Not like you tried contacting me either. Guess you were too busy screwing Naminé. "I wanted to give you two lovebirds room to grow. Guess where it brought you? Into holy matrimony. I think I made the right choice."

"That's not what I… Can I ask you something? Did you ever… have feelings for me?"

"It was so long ago, I don't remember anymore."

He looks hesitant. "If you did—"

"Roxas. There are times when a man must shut up and this is one of them. You just announced your engagement. Enjoy it! And forget about everything else." Because I'm certainly trying to. I down another gulp and slap him on the back. "Congratulations."

"But—"

Axel comes barreling in with the save. "Hey, Roxy. Congrats. Tell me all about it! Did you get on one knee and pop the question? Walk me through the whole thing…" Axel winks at me and I nod my head gratefully. Even if my romantic feelings evaporated, it's natural to feel jilted. My role as best friend got stolen by Naminé. She pretty much replaced me whether he realized it or not. Two loners can only be together as long as they're both loners. He ceased being one once Naminé stepped into the picture.

I should call it a night. Where is Sora? I need a ride. After a quick gander, I spot him with—oh, they're here: Kairi and Riku.

Riku looks amazing. He's still a magnificent creature made even more dazzling with his silky smooth suit. Only he could pull off an all-white outfit. It oughta be a crime to be that handsome. He needs to be locked up with his hands tied behind his back and forced to crawl on all fours for, er—punishment purposes. It's the law!

He can totally get into the drama biz if he wanted to. I can't even imagine a collaboration between him and Terra. Film would not be enough to contain such pure unadulterated joy. I sigh, abandoning my delusions, and walk up to the group. I immediately sense a tension between the "couple." Sora wasn't lying.

"I must be seeing things, Sora, because I see your little sister coming this way." Riku rubs his eyes dramatically. "This must be heaven."

"Hello to you too, Riku."

"I thought you were dead. Nice to see you again." Out of nowhere, he squeezes me like a little toy. I barely suppress a squeak—or was it a squeal? Whatever it was, it's suppressed! "I've missed you."

"We all do," Kairi says, pitching into the conversation. Go away. This is between me and Riku, alright? Go make up with my brother already. Then I remember that Riku thinks of me only as a little sister. Why did we have to grow up together? Why couldn't we have met today and have that dramatic moment in the first episode of a new series called "Black and White," featuring me and Riku, in an epic tale of a beautiful man sweeping a modest girl like myself off her feet? It would've been a perfect set up, but no! Freakin' Sora had to be best friends with him since childhood.

"I hear you've been gone yourself," I reply. "What was the job?"

"Nothing exciting. Just advertising."

"Like...modeling?" I can't think of any other occupation.

"No. I mean, actual marketing, planning, writing up campaigns, and executing them."

"Oh…" Such a waste of his natural talent. Any job that doesn't require him to take off his shirt is a waste. A goddamned waste, I tell you.

"So… How about you and me catch up?" Sora says to Riku. He gives me a pointed look and jabs his head in Kairi's direction. This is going to be fun.

"In that case, would you mind keeping me company, Kairi?" I hope it came out earnest. I put all my acting ability into that one.

Her mouth widens happily. "Sure."

For all the bad things I've said about her, she's always been nice to me. She has her good qualities. For one, she's smart, and driven, and about as ambitious as any modern woman. It's gals like her that pave the way for gals like me. Thank you, Kairi. But that doesn't mean we're going to be sisters even if my brother proposes to you.

I try leading her into a nice quiet corner where we can talk easily but she gravitates towards the punch bowl, the MVP of this party. This is what? My fifth trip? As Larxene would always say, "One more, please!"

"How's the trip so far? Does it feel like home yet?" She pours herself a modest amount with the ladle and downs it quickly.

"The weather, the city, and the people are familiar, but it doesn't feel like my heart is in it yet."

"I know what you mean." Does she really? Oh wait, is this one those subtle hints that girls like to drop when they skirt around an issue? I see that shit all the time on TV. It's so annoying.

"Like with Sora?"

"What?"

"Wh-I didn't say anything. What I'd say?" Guess not. That's a misfire on my part, sorry.

She tilts her head and giggles. "Did Sora ask you for advice?" I told you she was smart. She pours herself another round.

"Yes," I confess. "Be a dear and help me out, will you? Or maybe you can use a little help yourself."

"We were never really close, were we?" she says, staring at the bottom of her empty glass. I can tell she's thinking about getting more.

"No. Not really." We acted only as friendly as we needed to be. We just never clicked. I guess she wasn't crazy enough for me.

"Then you can keep this a secret? Can I trust you?"

"Trust is my middle name. What's the problem? Are you bored with him? The routine gotten stale? Doesn't have enough moves in bed?"

She bursts in a bout of uncontrollable giggles and her face glows the same shade as her hair. She's a lightweight. I stare at her for what feels like an eternity before she settles down. "Sora and I… We agreed on a plan. Until we're secure financially and career-wise, we wouldn't think of anything beyond that. But after being with him for so long, it's almost as if… it doesn't matter anymore." She tilts back and the punch slides down her throat easily.

"…Then you're not cheating on him."

"What? No. Of course not!" Score one for Sora. He knows his girlfriend well. "Then why are you giving him a hard time?"

"I don't mean to… I wanted to see if I could…like...live, but without him, you know?"

No, I don't know. It sounds stupid to me, but whatever. "Okay. How did that work out?"

"I miss him. I'd remember all those moments and all the things he's done for me. I've taken him for granted. He irons my cloths—my underwear, and even goes out to buy me tampons when I need them. Is he even human?" Her eyes shine with glassiness. "I'm a lucky girl, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are. What exactly is the problem here?" This is like pulling teeth from a rock. I'm aware rocks don't have teeth, which underscores how maddening this situation is.

"It's just… he's too good to me. It's almost like I don't deserve it. Every time I wake up to him cooking breakfast, every time he does something thoughtful without me having to ask, I feel...guilty, like I'm not living up to my end of the bargain."

Screw you and the high horse you rode in on. This is like first-class first-world problem trolling right here, folks. I can't believe my ears. "You're kidding. Let me get this straight: the problem you have with Sora is that he's too good of a boyfriend? What's wrong with you? You've got it made. That's the dream! You know what? This is actually pissing me off. He thinks he's not good enough for you anymore—wow, this is just hilarious. Bitch, go out there and make it up to him. Give him all your moves. Make my brother happy, damn it."

She stares at me, wide-eyed and stunned. Then she breaks down in a fit of maniacal giggles. "You're so funny, Xion!" She's hopeless. I can confidently tell Sora that he has nothing to worry about. He's sure made his bed with a weird one though. After she calms down a little, she looks at her glass. I confiscate it immediately.

"Take it easy, Kairi. You've had enough."

"I'm so glad we had this heart-to-heart." More like a punch to heart, but whatever works. "Remember, don't tell Sora about this, okay? I hope he misses me a little." Her eyes suddenly go wide. "Wow, I've been a bitch, haven't I?" And the award for understatement of the year goes to…

I pat her on the back. "Just make it up him. He'll forgive you." I think my job is done here. On that note, how about some more punch?

"Attention, everyone!" says Pence. "Let's not lose sight of the main event here. I've got all your gifts with me, and for those who didn't bring gifts, services must be rendered in place of product." He looks to me and wags his finger. "That means you, Xion."

"I never asked for this," I say in protest.

"It's not fair if you get something for free," he argues.

"Then I'll excuse myself from the exchange."

"Hold on, I can't do that. This is my party and everybody here is getting a gift whether they like it or not. Don't worry; I've already made a gift for you." He whips out a piece of paper. "This is a massage ticket. The lucky person who receives this will have the pleasure of having you give them a massage." This is why I hate parties. Throwing one does not entitle the host to dictatorship powers.

"I didn't come here to—"

"I brought her along against her will. It's not fair to hold her to that," my brother says, interrupting me. "I'll give the massage in her place."

"Whoever gets it, trade it with me, okay?" Kairi announces. She just unwittingly made Sora's massage a hot commodity.

Pence is about to deny Sora's idea but I aim my strongest most powerful glare at him. He thinks better of it. "Fine. Y'all sucking the fun out of my party, yo." That's why I'm here: to suck the fun out of parties.

Having excused myself from this dog and pony show, I take a seat on the couch, hoping that the alcohol will carry me to sleep. I hear something about a lottery, a spinning wheel, and bouncing balls. Then the room erupts like it was the Destiny Islands stock exchange. Everybody's yelping, screaming, and making backroom deals. I even pick up some hardcore statistical analysis on the odds of receiving Pence's gift, which is apparently a car. Instead of keeping me up, their collective moans, gasps, and ecstatic celebrations lull me into a deep meditative state. I think back from the start of the day to this moment. Even though it's just one day, it's been an exhausting journey.

"And for the lucky person who will get a free massage, it's… RIKU!"

Every ounce of fatigue abandons me and a rush of energy shoots through my arm. "I'll do it!" I've got my hand high in the air and everybody's looking at me. I'm not dreaming?

Pence grins. "I knew you'd come around."

Riku snatches the ticket from Pence's hand and approaches me. "Whew, for a second there, I thought I was gonna get a massage from Sora. I like the guy, but not like that."

"Your loss. Sora's got the magic fingers," Kairi says mysteriously. I try not to read into it much.

"So, when do you want to redeem your massage ticket?" I ask sweetly. I'm still a little bewildered by the situation. Everybody else has apparently moved on to the next lottery draw.

"Would now be too much trouble?"

"Not at all!"

"You can use any of the free guest rooms," Pence offers. It's almost like they set this up. As much as I'd relish the opportunity to rub my hands all over Riku, there comes a point when a joke begins to straddle the line between funny and awkward. Someone might get the wrong idea—like me. It's all fun and games until someone's feelings get hurt. But I'm an idiot, so I follow Riku into an empty bedroom. It has everything necessary for us to get it on, not that I'm expecting us to get it on—but that bed is awfully inviting.

"You're not seriously expecting a massage, are you?" I'm not suggesting any other recreational activities in place of one. I'm just speaking to my inexperience.

"Wouldn't be much point in rigging the draw otherwise," he says, shrugging nonchalantly.

"What? How and why?"

"I asked him and he agreed. Besides, I wanted to talk to you before you bailed. This is probably the last time I'll see you for a long time." Is that really the impression I give? Granted, the last time we got together I left early, and yeah, I abandoned the island for nigh on ten years, but that doesn't mean running is my first option.

"Just for you, I'll stay an extra day." He doesn't believe me. Even I don't believe me. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I have a theory I want to test out, but before that, do you mind?" He shows me his back and points to his broad shoulders. I'd be dumb to turn down this chance even though I've never given a massage in my life. We settle on the bed and I began squeezing his shoulders, rubbing my fingers in circles and odd directions. I have no idea what I'm doing, but he sure feels nice to touch.

"You're pretty bad at this."

"Sue me. I'm not a licensed professional." I'm fulfilling my obligation with the bare minimal effort required. "Mind telling me about this theory of yours?"

"My theory is that you like me."

"Yeah," I say, scoffing. "Me and every other girl who's laid eyes on you. That's not an earth-shattering hypothesis." I concede the point only because it's obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes. I'm sure even the blind would agree with me.

"Do you still like me?" I love how me liking him is a foregone conclusion—which it is. Don't give a hopeless girl like me hope, that's too cruel.

"Shouldn't you be riding a tricycle right now?"

"A what?" I pinch his neck. "OW! What was that for?"

"What's with the questions? Did you realize you actually love me after all these years or something?" It sounded funnier in my head, but I'm afraid he might take it seriously. Oh god, I can't believe I said that out loud.

Before I can take it back, he replies, "Is the idea really that crazy?"

"Don't play with me, mister."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"Sorry, I'm not trying to." He's not trying hard enough. Seriously, stop acting like such a girl. Come out and say it already.

"Okay. What happened? Sora asked you to keep me company or something? No, wait, it's a bet. I bet it's totally a bet." She's All That. It's a classic.

"It's nothing like—look, do you remember that cartoon we used to watch when we were kids?"

"Cartoon? Now I know you're just playing around."

He takes my hands off his shoulders and turns around. We sit facing each other, hand in hand, with my body running a little warmer than usual. "I'm being serious here. It was called the Legend of the Keyblade." I vaguely recall something about a hero jumping from world to world and solving problems. "My company recently took on the franchise as a client; merchandising, toys, blu-rays, and video games. Naturally, as a professional, I did my research. So I'm going through all these old episodes again. Surprisingly, the show is still fun to watch. Guess we had good taste, even as kids. Anyways, I reach this one episode, and it reminded me of this one time when I visited you guys when you were both sick. Sora was asleep, which is pretty rare for him, and you were the one taking care of him for once."

I have no idea where he's going with this. My mind is desperately trying to scrape together the pieces for this memory, but I'm coming up blank.

"It was just you and me, and we decided to watch this show. Same episode and everything. Nothing special about it. Just a bad guy and the hero kicks his ass. But I remember that you were falling asleep. You were pretty much leaning into me. I didn't notice because I was really into the show. The hero busted out this new move and it was crazy. When I turned to see what you thought of it, you were already dozing off. That's when you said it."

"What did I say?" I ask nervously.

"_Marry me_."

I flush immediately. "Damn it, Riku. I was just a kid. How do you even remember that? I don't even remember that. Are you making this up? Or maybe you're the one that's dreaming?"

He taps his head. "I remember it clearly after watching that episode. I didn't realize what you were saying at the time."

"Typical. You always were an insensitive jerk." When acting lovesick gets me labeled as "weird," that sort of sours my prospects for love.

"It just got me thinking about our time together growing up. That's when all the signs finally started to register. Looking back, it should've been obvious, but I never really noticed."

"And why should you? I've got zero appeal." A look in the mirror every day is enough to remind me that I'm lacking in both the top and bottom departments. I'll eventually fill out, my ass. You lied to me, mom!

"You're wrong. When I saw you again, I couldn't help thinking about how insanely cute you are." Oh my, I love the way you lie to me.

"Keep going…"

"You look amazing, and I've never met someone as wonderful as you, as mesmerizing, as graceful, with a beauty so divine, that only the word gorgeous can describe your fantastic existence. You are dazzling, enchanting, stunning—simply put: you are perfection."

"Okay, now you're just going overboard. But keep going." Just because I don't buy it doesn't mean I won't accept it. I love accepting compliments. Shower me with them. Make it rain!

He chuckles. "It's called an ad-train. It's an exercise we like to do at work. Try to create a line stuffed with as many 'action' words as possible. I've been waiting to try it out on you. There's just one problem with it though."

"None of it's true?"

"Nah, it doesn't do you justice."

"Okay. Now you're just being corny. Be honest, how many times have you dropped that line?"

"You may be shocked to hear this, but I haven't been in a relationship for years. My last one was in college."

"Why are you wasting your youth like that?"

"Girls just got annoying." He says it like it was some life-altering revelation. You should've realized that the day you met me.

"I'm a girl."

"No, you're a woman, and an amazing one at that." I can never get tired of hearing that. "I'm not trying to trick you. It's just—I realized that there's more to life than appearances. No shit, right? If I think about the times when I was happiest, it's gotta be with you guys. I didn't realize how much I missed you until you left."

"I'm sure you had no problem keeping yourself busy."

He looks abashed. "All this time, I wondered whether you'd come back a completely different person. I'm glad you're still you." See? Vindication. I'm fine just the way I am.

"Very smooth, Riku."

"I try. But it's not like you believe half of what I'm saying anyways. I can see it in your face."

"Because unlike the women of your troubled past, I possess a modicum of intelligence."

"Would you believe me if I kissed you then?"

My heart skips a beat. Even he's just messing around; this is something I can use on those cold lonely nights in the bathtub. "Depends on how good you kiss."

"I've been told it's literally breathtaking." Damn it. When he's on, he's on, and ain't nothing gonna stop him. I don't care if he's done this dozens of times, because it's _my_ time to shine, damn it.

"Show me."

He stands me up and gently holds onto my shoulders. Hey, wait a minute; this isn't actually happening, is it? It's gotta be staged, make believe, a drama. Where are the lights, the cameras, and the production staff? I can't hear anything except for the beat of my pounding heart. It's relentless, erratic, but somehow… rhythmic, like a tribal ceremony heralding my ascension into the wondrous peak of womanhood. Take me to heaven, take me away! I'm not even going to close my eyes for this. I wanna see this the entire way through. He's close, so close. Our lips are mere inches apart…

The door bursts open. It's Pence. "FI—whoa, sorry to interrupt, guys, but there's a FIRE in the house!" Reality comes crashing down on us, and Riku and I exchange a look of disbelief. "I'm serious! It's the tree. We tried to put it out using the punch, but it made it even worse. Get outta here, guys!"

And just like that, my perfect scene was ruined by a fiery holiday tree of all things. It must be a message from god. I got it loud and clear: you hate me. We shuffle out of the house to the tune of fire sirens in the distance. All the guests are lined up on the lawn, watching the smoke rise into the night sky. It's beautiful in a bizarre way. Santa's riding his sled on the smoke and the lights are blinking madly. What a blaze of glory.

"Shit, are you insured?" Hayner asks out loud.

"I sure hope so."

"How did the fire start?" I wonder.

Everybody looks at Axel. "What the hell? It wasn't me! I've crossed that one out a long time ago." I love him so much.

"It's probably electrical. With all the machines and lights you got running, it was just a matter of time," Sora hypothesized. Everybody starts talking about possible causes and about plans on what to do next. I pull Sora aside.

"Time to go home then, I guess." The fatigue hits me like a tsunami. Physically, I'm a little tired; it's the emotional and mental exhaustion that's got me praying for quick and bottomless sleep. Too much excitement for one day. My limbs are still tingling from what almost happened. I feel like crying.

"Are you staying at Sora's?" Riku asks.

"Yeah. You?"

"Got myself a fancy hotel room. Do you want to…?"

"You didn't get that far." He grins mischievously in response. "But, if you want, you can take me out for dinner this week. And hey, maybe you can show me that episode. It might jog my memory a little." I gotta have standards. You'll have to buy me a drink before I take off my clothes. Okay, that's not the real reason. I only turned him down because I know I'll fall asleep right away, and I'd rather wake up to Sora cooking breakfast than Riku being disappointed that he didn't get any. I mean, unless he wants to screw a corpse, but I wanna be awake to enjoy it at least. Wait, did I actually just think that? God, I need my sleep, fast.

"Sounds great. I'll see you later then?"

"Only when you name the restaurant." If he's running ad-trains in Twilight Town, then he can afford a nice dinner for me, plus dessert, and some chocolates and candy too, oh, and those crazy breakfast waffles at the Guardian Grill—can't forget about that.

He laughs. "Fine. Till next time."

"You're going to take him?" Sora asks Kairi. I don't know if they made up yet but they seem to be on alright terms.

"Yeah. I'll see you back at the apartment." She leans in for a cursory peck on the cheek and we part ways.

Sora and I head towards the car.

"Did you two make up?"

"You tell me." It looks like it's still up in the air. Maybe Kairi is just saving herself for a surprise at home? I hope I'll be asleep by then. I'm not in the mood to hear my brother grunt and moan and making all sorts of weird noises. That's just…wrong.

"All I can say is: you have nothing to worry about. Just keep doing what you're doing," I advise.

"Are you sure?" His hand hangs on the door, as if opening it might lose him the opportunity to learn more.

"Well… This is just me, but I think she wants you to propose."

"What?! D-did she say this to you?"

I clamber into the passenger side and he follows suit. "Nah. Just a feeling."

"Just a feeling? You seem pretty sure for just a feeling."

I giggle. "Not really. Wouldn't hurt to start looking for rings though."

"I hope you're not leading me on."

"I wouldn't dare dream of it." He probes my face for deceit and shakes his head. He pushes his keys into the ignition and the engine roars to life. I prefer white noise when I sleep. It blocks out my thoughts and I can relax easier. I close my eyes, images of Riku flashing briefly, and drift into a nice dark abyss.

The thought is always more painful than the reality. It was annoying to get my butt dragged from one end of the world to another, but now that I'm here, back home, in my somewhat natural habitat barring few exceptions (like the weather), I feel surprisingly comfortable. Even the people, my "old friends," weren't that bad. There's still a ton of catching to do, but all in due time.

Don't take it the wrong way, I'm not saying that I've changed or anything like that, but I feel like my world's gotten a little bigger. There might even be room for another person, but that's contingent on a constant stream of compliments, dinners, gifts, and of course, breakfast in the morning. Either that or take me up to heaven, repeatedly, over and over, and—okay, it's going to be long lonely bath tonight.

One thing's for sure, this is one night I'm not forgetting anytime soon. Sometimes all it takes is one crazy night to change everything. I should know, because it happens in dramas all the time.

"What about you and Riku? Something happen I should know about?"

"Nothing much," I whisper, my consciousness fading away. "But you know what?"

"What?"

"It's good to be back."

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed the story. If it is not to your liking, I apologize, but I would like to point out that there are two other stories in this collection that might better serve your tastes. **

**I'm a smokescreen, if you will, for the scandalous, sexy, and downright vulgar proceedings that are sure to follow (I know, because I've read them—lucky me, right?). If you are craving a little more heat, a little more skin, and a little more saliva, then soldier on, my good reader. **

**You'll find several common elements across our stories but I'll leave it to our closer, Kyorii, to explain to you what those elements were, and what challenges we gave each other for a little fun extra twist.**

**Don't forget to vote for which story you think is best. I'm kidding, there is no poll, but do leave a review. Let us know if you want us to join forces again for another universe-shattering collision. **

**We had a lotta fun making this, and if you want to know how much fun, you can gaze upon our madness through a link in each of our profiles. It goes to our GoogleDoc page, which we used to compile our ideas, rough drafts, along with some chat highlights. It's been amazing working with writers who are passionate, clever, funny, and right in all the wrong places in the head. **

**Thanks for reading! **

**Happy Holidays! Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!**


	2. Redeeming Endeavor

**Redeeming Endeavor**: Alrighty, you. I know Mr. Jomatto over there said to jump to your favorite author, but I'm exercising my power as self-appointed leader of this trio and belaying that order. Before reading another word of this 2nd installment, I'm begging you to do me a favor and read Jomatto's portion and leave a review!

This past month has been a blast—I mean, I got to work with these two creative geniuses! And, now that you've read and reviewed Jomatto's story, you're welcome to read mine. I'll see you all at the end of this one-shot. Team leader out.

* * *

**The Paopu Punch Party**

By the time half the guests arrived, Kairi knew the house was far too small and everyone would have to get a little friendly and make room for each other. But it couldn't be helped: out of everyone in her group, her place was the largest. Everyone else had an apartment, and Kairi's house was the best place to host the first Christmas party of their college careers. To spice things up, Kairi and her friends decided to organize a Secret Santa exchange.

Kairi rolled a chair from her bedroom to the living room, placing it between the furniture she had moved to make room for the Christmas tree. The tree itself wasn't that big, but neither was the living room of the three-bedroom house. The pine—a real pine—stood tall over the wrapped presents in the corner, decorated with red ornaments and handmade trinkets from Kairi's true home on Destiny Islands.

She had thought she would miss the Islands more after being away for so long-she hadn't gone back since the start of the semester five months ago-but college had provided her with enough distractions to keep the homesickness at bay. Besides, home had a way of coming to her: ever since they went off to different schools, her best friend Sora had visited at least once a month.

Sora. The name alone made Kairi all giddy inside. She had grown up with him, and as his best friend of the opposite sex, had known him better than any other girl he had ever met. It was because she knew him so well that she fell for him when she had learned it was okay to like boys.

One day she had woken up and found his messy hair endearing, his laugh more musical and infectious, his smile unforgettable and vivid in her memory even when she closed her eyes. When she thought about her future, he was in it, going to classes with her or sharing the view of whatever destination they chose to see together. She had learned that his happiness led to her own, and as terrifying as it was to know that her happiness could be so strongly affected by his, she knew that he'd be worth the trouble he'd cause her.

Kairi had thought she made a lot of progress during their last year of high school, only to be faced with separation when college admission rolled around. Sora's grades weren't high enough to get him into Radiant Garden University. She had told him that she wanted to stay with him-the closest she had ever been to confessing-but he urged her to attend her top choice. She had been hurt that night because he didn't ask her to stay. Because he didn't need her to stay.

She had stopped talking to him for some time after graduation, but she hadn't been able to stay mad at her best friend for long. Their relationship had repaired itself, and before she left for RGU, he had promised to get his grades high enough to transfer. Until then, he'd visit as often as he could.

Apparently he was running late. Riku, Kairi's other best friend who was also Sora's best friend and bromantic partner, was supposed to arrive half an hour ago. It didn't matter much. There wasn't enough room for them anyway.

The kitchen timer rang. Kairi made her way over and pulled out a tray of freshly baked cookies from the oven.

"Did they turn out alright?" Roxas asked.

Roxas was one of Kairi's housemates and first official college friend. Strange circumstances brought them together (something about being assigned a haunted dorm room), and the same field of study meant they shared the same class-related miseries.

"I hope so. Axel!" Kairi called as she inspected the cookies.

Axel, her cousin and fifth-year "super senior," emerged from his room wearing the ugliest Christmas sweater Kairi had ever seen. "Are the cookies finally done?" he asked.

"See for yourself." Kairi stepped aside to give him room.

"They look fine to me." Axel paused and pointed to one of them. "Except that snowman over there. That's a penis."

"Whatever. We'll set him aside. Roxas, could you get the cups up here?" Kairi pointed to the cabinets above her head. "I think it's time to serve the Paopu Punch."

"What do I do?" Axel asked.

Kairi looked him up and down. "Can you get rid of that fugly sweater?"

She followed Roxas into the living room, squeezing through tiny spaces to reach the table in the middle. Roxas handed out plastic cups, but playfully withheld one from Naminé.

Naminé was Roxas's girlfriend and another one of Kairi's new friends. Roxas had first introduced her as a friend, but after being in the same math class for an entire semester, they both learned that one plus one equaled two. Or maybe that had happened during one of the times Naminé came over to study for one of their big exams. If there was one exam for every time Naminé spent the night "studying," then Kairi knew to avoid the section that tested students thirty-six times.

And yes, she counted.

She didn't mind much since she liked Naminé, who was probably her closest girl friend since entering college. Kairi had a feeling that Naminé was a quieter girl in high school who had hoped to break out of her shell in college. Given that she held her own against Roxas's relentless flirting, Kairi thought she was doing just fine.

"How come I don't get a cup?" Naminé asked.

"Kairi said this stuff's pretty strong," Roxas whispered into her ear. "Who knows if you'll be able to handle it."

"It can't be that bad."

"Eh, I don't know about that," Kairi muttered. "I've seen some weird stuff from non-Islanders. They just don't have the same tolerance."

"Don't think I can handle it?" Naminé asked.

"I just don't want anyone to see the… wilder side of you." Roxas winked.

Screw that, Kairi thought. What was Naminé like when she was drunk? Curiosity got the best of her. Kairi took a cup from Roxas's hands and filled it with Paopu Punch. "Here. You might want to drink slowly. It's stronger than it tastes."

Naminé took an experimental sip. Her eyes widened. "There's alcohol in this?"

"Lots," Kairi said.

"But it's so sweet!" Naminé handed it to Roxas, urging him to taste it.

"Kairi, this tastes like juice." He laughed. "Here I thought it'd be worse, being a non-Islander and all," he mocked.

"Glad you like it." Kairi smiled sweetly. She filled everyone's cup with Paopu Punch. First was Selphie, a girl Kairi had befriended during orientation. Selphie looked like she didn't want to be there, most likely because she recently went through a bad break-up. Kairi hoped to get Selphie out of her rut, but she knew she'd need more than a cup of Paopu Punch to help Selphie out.

Next was Hayner, one of Roxas's friends from high school. Unlike her other friends, Kairi didn't really talk with Hayner outside the times when he came over to hang out with Roxas. She did, however, get along with Olette, another girl she met through Roxas. Olette was very bright, Kairi learned, who also happened to be a hopeless romantic.

Olette was also oblivious to her own situation. Or maybe she just ignored the fact that Hayner was so far beyond being whipped when it came to pleasing her. Either way, the poor boy had been friendzoned hard.

Finally, there was Xion. Xion was a friend of Axel's, but like the rest of the party guests, she was also a freshman. Axel never clarified how he met or knew Xion, but the two seemed pretty close. She was even closer to Roxas, and for a while Kairi wondered if the dark-haired girl had a thing for the hot blonde (he really was). It seemed innocent enough though. Kairi likened her relationship with Sora and Riku to Xion's relationship with Roxas and Axel.

Xion also had a thing for Riku (who didn't?) and was pretty vocal about it. Xion never really met him, but had seen him once while he was leaving after visiting Kairi. Since then, Xion repeatedly failed to see him again. She was just unlucky: every time Riku visited Kairi's place, Xion wasn't around. Every time Xion was around, Riku was nowhere to be found.

"Okay, Kairi. You said Riku would be here, and yet here I am, single and drinking by myself." Xion gulped down the punch Kairi had poured her.

"You're going to want to drink that slowly," Kairi warned. Nevertheless, she refilled Xion's cup. She set the pitcher down on the table and squeezed into the loveseat with Xion. "You know, you could've just met with him outside of this house. I'm sure you guys could've arranged a date."

"Pfft. Then I'd come off as desperate."

"I don't see how."

"Kairi, you don't get it. I want him to make the first move. If he does, then there's a good chance he likes me too."

"Suit yourself." Kairi went to fill her own cup, but grabbed an empty pitcher. "Um, guys? Did you seriously finish this already?"

Roxas nodded. "Yup! This stuff's delicious, Kairi. Shouldn't we bring out another pitcher?"

Kairi reluctantly agreed. "Just remember to pace yourselves."

* * *

Sora groaned and leaned his head against the cold car window. "Can we please get there already?"

Riku rolled his eyes. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing right now?"

"I can't see anything."

"Exactly. It's snowing like crazy here, so I'm not going faster," Riku said. "Besides, can you imagine what Kairi would do if we got into an accident?"

Sora sighed. If it weren't for the snow, he would've been at Kairi's ten minutes ago. Radiant Garden winters only reminded Sora how much of an Island boy he really was. He wasn't the biggest fan of snow unless there was a snowboard involved, and as far as he knew, snowboarding wasn't part of his agenda.

"She hasn't been answering my texts," Sora said.

"She might be a little busy, throwing a party and all. We all just finished finals: I think we deserve to unwind a bit."

Sora pressed his hands against the air vent, warming himself. "Think they started exchanging gifts already?"

"They better not have. They'd miss out on the chance for my awesome gift."

"Oh yeah? What'd you bring?"

"I'm not telling. That kills the point."

"What? I'll tell you what I brought if you tell me yours," Sora offered.

"Based on the shape, it's probably a basket of lotion or massage oils."

Sora leaned back, his eyes trained on the road ahead. After a long silence, he asked, "Is it that obvious?"

"You should have switched the container or put it in a box or something."

Deflated, Sora decided to change the subject. "Any idea what Kairi's gift is?"

"Pretty sure it's an I.O.U for her body."

"Riku."

"I think she's giving herself as a gift."

"Riku!"

"Relax!" Riku laughed, rubbing where Sora had just punched him. "If I get it, I promise I'll trade with you."

"You're so dead. As soon as we get there..."

Sometimes Sora really regretted telling Riku that he liked Kairi. If Riku wasn't such a great wingman-which really entailed getting the hell away most of the time, since the only wingmaning Riku had to do was give Sora some space and time alone with Kairi - Sora probably would've kept his secret to himself.

When they arrived at Kairi's house, Sora followed through on his promise and tackled Riku into the snow. It didn't take long before Riku had the upper hand.

Riku laughed. "You've gotten stronger!" He stuffed a handful of snow into Sora's face and ran off.

Sora shook the snow out of his hair and chased after his friend, tripping over the knee-high piles of snow. He chased Riku around the car, unable to catch up. Just before he gave up, the front door opened.

"Sora? Riku? What the hell are you guys doing?" Kairi asked. Selphie stood next to her, looking depressed with a small gift in her hands.

"He started it!" Sora pointed toward Riku.

"He was defending your honor," Riku said. "Hey, Selphie."

Sora chased Riku around until he ran out of breath. By then, another car had pulled into the driveway, which Selphie immediately got into. The boys waved as the car drove off, leaving them outside with Kairi.

"What was that about?" Sora asked between breaths.

"She said she wasn't feeling well, which is code for 'I don't want to be here,'" Kairi said. "She went through a pretty bad break-up earlier this week."

"Guess she just needs some time alone," Riku said. "How are you, Kairi?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Except-" Kairi grabbed a handful of snow and dropped it down the back of Sora's shirt.

He yelped, flapping the back of his shirt until everything fell out. "Et tu, Kairi? Et tu?"

"Oh please. You're the one playing outside with Riku instead of coming in to see me," Kairi said. She quickly added, "And say hi to everyone else."

Sora pulled Kairi into a hug, quickly realizing how warm she was. "Forgive me then. We'll come inside now. I'm cold."

Sora and Riku grabbed their presents and followed Kairi into the house. Sora recognized everyone inside, greeting them individually as he placed his gift under the tree. He noticed that Kairi had a few handmade ornaments that he and Riku had made with her in grade school. He smiled, making sure not to knock any of them off.

There was a sizable pile of presents under the tree, but Sora knew which presents were going to be exchanged for Secret Santa. Like the one he brought, those particular presents were numbered one through ten, and later every guest would draw their corresponding numbers. Sora pressed his lips together. Massage oils counted as a unisex gift. If any of the guys had a problem with it, they could suck it up. Sora was sure that they'd be able to find uses for it anyway, whether it be with a girl (or guy) or themselves.

He hung out in the living room for a while, but it became apparent that some of the guests had already drunk too much Paopu Punch. For the third time in two minutes, someone noted that the back of his shirt was wet.

"This is your fault," Sora said to Kairi. He handed her his empty cup, but there was no more Paopu Punch left in the pitcher. "I'm going to get harassed all night until you fix it."

"You're welcome to change into the cardigan you left the last time you visited. It's in the top drawer," Kairi said.

"Really? That's so… _accessible._"

"I sleep with it every night."

Sora made his way to Kairi's room, turning the light on as soon as he reached it. Her room was the smallest in the house, but it was just big enough to fit a bed and her drawers. Kairi also had a tiny corner desk squeezed between the bed and wall, but it was mainly used for her jewelry, make-up, and other foreign products.

She had obviously turned it into a makeshift vanity. It was pretty typical of her to do that. Back in high school, Kairi had always done her homework on her bed or on the floor. Sora had always worked with her too, and Riku always joked that those moments would be the only time Sora would ever find himself in bed with Kairi. He wondered if that routine would have continued if he had been able to attend RGU with them.

Sora pulled the wet shirt over his head and shivered when the cold wet streak touched his neck.

"I can take that."

Sora turned to see Kairi standing at the doorway. She closed the door.

He tossed her his shirt. "Thanks. It's in the top drawer, right?"

"Yeah, but that one's-"

"That's your underwear." Sora opened the top-left drawer. "And there's my sweater."

"Just hurry up and get out of here." Kairi drank some of her Paopu Punch, smacking her lips when she finished. "Who knows what you'll go through if I'm not around?"

"You sure it's not just a ploy to see me half-naked?" Sora slipped his arms into the sweater and buttoned it. He heard Kairi giggle. "What's so funny? Is it the deep V-neck style? Too much cleavage?"

"It's nothing." Kairi opened the door. "Come on. Let's get back to the party."

* * *

Just about everyone underestimated the effects of Paopu Punch. Kairi shook her head. They all deserved it for not listening to her.

At least Sora and Riku knew how to handle it, but that had more to do with the fact that they grew up on Destiny Islands and knew about the drink growing up. It wasn't that Islanders were more tolerant of alcohol; instead, they knew what actual Paopu Fruit tasted like, which was sweeter than any fruit on the planet. To them, it didn't taste like juice.

While everyone chugged and poured the punch, Sora and Riku sipped. The unmistakable taste of alcohol was lost to everyone but them.

"I don't even know why I'm here," Axel said as he leaned over the kitchen counter. Kairi continued to mix more Paopu Punch. Axel continued, "I'm the old man here. Yet here I am, partying with a bunch of freshmen who don't know how much alcohol they can handle."

"You're in the same boat," Kairi said.

"Yeah, but I knew exactly what I was doing. A couple more of those and I'll be asleep by my bedtime."

Kairi rolled her eyes but filled Axel's cup. If his goal was to get smashed, she wasn't getting in the way. She scanned the living room before putting the rest of the punch in the refrigerator.

Secret Santa was going to be a shitshow if everyone was too drunk.

Kairi grabbed ten popsicle sticks and numbered each of them. She walked into the living room, getting everyone's attention.

"It's Secret Santa time!" she announced as she stepped over Hayner. "Everyone has to draw straws—"

"Those are sticks!" Roxas corrected. He turned to Naminé. "I gave her those. I ate lots of sea-salt ice cream."

"Sticks, whatever. No one cares." Kairi held out her fist. "Everyone knows how this works! Draw your number. If you get your own, we'll redraw. And don't grab your gift until everyone has a number!"

Kairi waited for everyone to draw their number. When everyone settled, Kairi was left with two sticks.

"Okay, who didn't go yet?" she asked.

"You didn't," Sora said.

Kairi held out the sticks. "You haven't either, so draw."

"You can go first."

"No, I'm host, so as a guest, you draw."

Naminé giggled. Sora turned to her, raising his brow. "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry, but you look really funny," Naminé said, pointing out Sora's cardigan and lack of a shirt. "It's like you can't make up your mind. Are you having trouble deciding whether or not you're cold? What's going on here?"

Sora opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He snatched one of the sticks from Kairi's hand. "You guys are making me feel insecure! It's not my fault I'm wearing this. It's all I have, and I'll put my shirt on when it's done drying."

"Aww, it's not your fault! Some things just can't be pulled off," Kairi said.

"I'm pretty sure this guy can," Xion quipped, flicking her cup in Riku's direction. Everyone turned to look at her. She looked up from her cup. "Wait, did I say that out loud?"

Kairi quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, we've all drawn! Check your numbers. As long as you don't have your own, go for it!"

No one got up—most asked for more Paopu Punch—but Riku took it upon himself to announce the numbers and hand out the gifts. Kairi waited for everyone to get their gifts before opening her own. She tore at the wrapping, revealing an expensive-looking watch.

"What the heck? Didn't we have a spending limit?" Sora said when he saw Kairi's gift.

"You jealous?" Kairi smiled. She would've been more excited if her gift wasn't a watch for men.

"Okay, a vibrator? Are you serious?" Xion looked around the room and showed everyone her gift.

Roxas snickered behind the sofa.

The reactions varied from person to person. Naminé ended up with the basket of massage oils that Sora brought. She seemed happy about it. Axel simply downed the rest of his drink when he found out he received a USB flashdrive that had already been opened, and Hayner seemed confused when he ended up with a scarf. Like his girlfriend, Roxas also received a basket, but his was filled with exotic chocolates and coffee, which he never drank.

Olette's reaction was tepid compared to everyone else when she announced that her gift was a pair of expensive-looking headphones. She commented in passing that it was her favorite color, orange, but she wasn't one to wear over-the-ear headphones and didn't listen to music enough anyway. Riku ended up with a gift certificate to one of the restaurants in town, while Sora announced that he received a voucher for one day for two at the spa.

Of course it was for a spa at Radiant Garden. He'd have to take advantage of it during one of his monthly visits in the future.

With the gifts unwrapped, Kairi returned to the kitchen to serve more Paopu Punch. Sora entered a moment later, this time fully dressed. He sighed, remarking how nice it felt to put on a warm shirt fresh out of the dryer.

Kairi refilled his cup. "So, you happy with your gift?"

"I am, but I feel terrible for Naminé. Had I known we were allowed to drop a couple hundred on these gifts, I would have," Sora said, hinting at the headphones Olette was holding. "I mean, look at those things. And our gifts too! You've made friends with a rich group, Kairi."

"All according to plan." Kairi drank her entire cup and poured herself another. "Is it a bad idea to give everyone more punch? They're all pretty buzzed now, so maybe we should wait for them to sober up a bit."

Sora shook his head. "Forget that. I want to see someone get smashed."

"You don't want to get drunk yourself?"

"I want to remember tonight." Sora looked into the living room. "Are they trading gifts in there?"

"They're doing what?" Kairi growled when she saw her roommates trading gifts. "What the hell? That's not allowed!"

"Why not?"

"That wasn't part of the rules," Kairi said. "I need to stop them without making a scene of it."

"Let me do it then. Time for a distraction!" Sora took the Paopu Punch and strolled into the living room. "I hope all of you are ready for the Paopu Chug!" he sang as he refilled every cup he passed.

Kairi facepalmed. Sora wasn't the best at quick thinking.

Riku quirked a brow. "What the hell is the—ow!"

"You know, the Destiny Islands tradition! We all have one second for every person here to finish our drinks. Right, Kairi?"

"Uh, sure." Kairi played along with Sora's fake tradition. As arbitrary and as strange as it was, it kept the trade talks at bay. She just hoped Sora knew what he was doing.

"So since there are nine of us, we have nine seconds to finish," Sora said.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Kairi mumbled under her breath.

"Can't say I've ever heard of that before," Axel said.

"Probably because you've never done it." Sora poured himself a cup, smiling weakly at Kairi's worried look. "Okay, nine seconds, everyone. Cheers!"

Kairi tilted her head back and downed her drink after Sora's countdown. She slammed her cup down on the table, the aftertaste of alcohol lingering in her mouth and burning her throat. She grimaced. Drinking that was going to haunt her later.

The rest of the group finally seemed to realize that the Paopu Punch they had been drinking was actually potent. Hayner had a coughing fit just after finishing, and Naminé's face scrunched up as she looked at her empty cup. If everyone was going to get wasted, Kairi hoped she'd be able to remain sober enough for the rest of the party.

Sora didn't make it any easier when he convinced everyone to play a drinking game right after.

* * *

"Oh come on. I'm willing to bet my gift that everyone in this room has had at least one sexual fantasy involving someone else here," Axel said.

"I don't want your gift, but I just don't agree with that," Sora replied. After a long game of Ring of Fire, the alcohol had finally set in. Sora rested his back against the couch, which Axel had taken over by stretching along its entire length.

Axel lifted his head and drank more punch. "You won't because you know I'm right."

Sora was actually avoiding the bet because he didn't want anyone to know that Kairi made regular appearances in his sexual fantasies. He had a feeling that taking the bet would bring a lot of unwanted attention on not only everyone, but himself as well.

He watched Kairi whisper into Naminé's ear and giggle. They turned their attention on him and whispered something else, laughing like they knew something he didn't.

If there was one thing girls did that made him extremely uncomfortable, it was their secret conversations that made him curious and apprehensive at the same time. What could they have possibly said to each other, and why did they look at him? He needed to know, but a part of him didn't want to know. What if it was something bad?

He saw Kairi stand from the corner of his eye. She was coming over.

He pretended to drink from his empty cup.

"Hey there," Kairi said, kneeling in front of him. Her dress pulled back, revealing more skin.

Sora realized he was staring at her closed legs and looked away. "Hey, Kairi. Having fun?"

"I'm having a fabulous time," Kairi said. She leaned forward and placed her hands on Sora's thighs. He tensed. "I think I might have had too much to drink though, but screw it! I'm here now, you're here, we're all here, and this is a party. I might be a little drunk right now."

Sora cracked a smile. "You might be." He released his breath when Kairi moved away.

Sora was beginning to regret ever starting a drinking game. He had a high tolerance for alcohol, so it was never going to be an issue if he wanted to stay sober, but his friends were a different story. Kairi in particular was a lightweight: most people could drink a beer and remain unaffected, but Kairi would drop into a judgment-impaired state when the alcohol would set in.

Apparently two cups of Paopu Punch were enough to do her in. She was currently working on a third, tempting Sora to play the part of the party chaperone, but he wasn't sure how she'd react.

"You need me to finish that?" Sora asked as he pointed to her cup.

She shook her head. "I got it." She drank the rest of it and missed the way Sora's mouth dropped open in silent protest. "If you need more, there's plenty to go around."

"Well, now I'm thinking I should drink it all if that's what it takes," Sora mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me what you said!"

"What were you and Naminé laughing about earlier?" Sora changed the subject. Despite her normal stubbornness, she was pretty easy to distract when drunk.

She laughed. "We were talking about you."

Sora played it cool. "Good things, I hope."

Sora ate some of the cookies placed on the table. He tried to get Kairi to eat some in hopes of offsetting the effects of alcohol, but she insisted that there was a penis-shaped snowman waiting to be devoured by her.

He didn't know what to make of that, so he continued eating. He continued to talk to Kairi, which helped him gauge her sobriety. She was drunk for sure, but it could have been worse.

Axel abruptly shot up, looking around like he had just woken up. "Kairi! You're here."

"I live here."

"That's not what I meant." Axel shook his head and fell back onto the couch. "I want to ask you something. Let me ask you something. Really. Have you ever had a sexual fantasy involving anyone in this party? Be honest."

"That conversation already ended, Axel," Sora interrupted.

"Psh, yeah. Everyone has," Kairi answered nonchalantly.

"See?" Axel threw an arm over his eyes. "No one here is safe from someone else's imagination. I bet someone's had a dirty dream about you before too," he said to Sora.

"Whoa, what's going on here?" Xion inserted herself into the conversation as she sat on Axel's stomach.

"These two think everyone in the room has fantasized about someone else here," Sora explained.

Xion threw her head back and cackled, startling Sora. "They are so right. Before Roxas and Naminé got all official and shit, we did some pretty nasty things," she said. "That's all my imagination, by the way. We never got to do anything in real life."

"I hear you on that," Kairi said, her gaze lingering on Roxas. "I mean, I never wanted to do anything to him, but I'm not going to deny I wasn't tempted after all those open-mic nights at 7th Heaven."

"Oh my god. Don't even get me started on that. He's pretty enough as is, but hearing him sing? He's a panty-dropper."

Sora shifted uncomfortably as the girls broke into a fit of giggles. Axel shoved Xion off him and turned over on the sofa, looking like he was trying to sleep.

Xion fanned herself with her hand, sliding into place next to Kairi. "I'm getting all hot and bothered now. I'm having serious flashbacks to that one time he sang in Spanish. I can't. I just can't even."

Kairi shook her head. "I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it."

Sora stepped in. "You both know he's taken, right?"

Xion rolled her eyes. "We're just talking about it. It's not like we're going to do anything about it. Besides, Kairi's not serious about it. She's got another man on her mind."

"Xion!" Kairi threw a hand over her friend's mouth.

Xion pulled away. "I'm just trying to help you get some tonight!"

"Is the guy at this party?" Sora asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"That's a secret," Kairi said. "You know, I was just telling Naminé that the Paopu fruit is a natural aphrodisiac, so it doesn't surprise me that everyone's got sex on their mind."

Xion guffawed. "Who said anything about sex? My dirty dreams involve candlelight dinners and cuddling underneath the stars, you whore."

"Yeah, okay."

"But seriously, is that true? Because that explains everything."

"Explains what?"

"All this time, I've felt like doing something slutty." The girls laughed.

Sora ignored them and pondered the identity of the guy Kairi liked. Did she find a guy from one of her classes? Why didn't she tell him? Probably because that wasn't the case. If Kairi liked a guy, she wouldn't have a reason to keep it from him.

Sora had been suspicious that he was the one Kairi liked, but he didn't want to be too optimistic. Ever since he started liking her, he noticed that she did things that could be considered flirtatious. He had spent a lot of time online, sifting through article after article and website after website on how girls flirt with guys they like. Kairi had done a lot of those things, from the lingering touching to the laughing at jokes that weren't even funny.

But Sora had read many stories about girls who had to deal with awkward situations because their guy friends misinterpreted their friendships. It turned out the lists of things girls do to flirt and the things girls do to befriend a guy were pretty identical.

Girls, in conclusion, were far too confusing to reach a conclusion.

So even if there was a chance that Kairi liked him, Sora wasn't going to bank on it. He wanted to be sure, or as close to sure as possible, that Kairi liked him before making a move. No way in hell would he be one of those guys that loses his friendship with a girl because he fell for her and made things awkward.

"Need a refill?" Kairi asked, pulling him away from his thoughts.

Sora looked at the pitcher in Kairi's hand. It was nearly empty. "Did you just drink all of that?"

"Xion helped. We've got two pitchers left. One, actually. I think they just finished that one." Kairi pointed to the rest of their friends, who cheered as Xion won a drinking contest.

"Give me the rest of that. Better me than you." Sora poured the rest of the Paopu Punch into his cup, drinking half of it immediately. "And with this, we are officially out."

"There's always more to mix if we— what the hell?"

Sora followed Kairi's line of sight and choked on his drink. Across the room, Roxas was giving Hayner a lap dance as the girls cheered on. At the end of it, Roxas received the scarf, Hayner got the chocolate and coffee, and Olette handed over her headphones to Xion in exchange for a vibrator.

Sora deadpanned. "I feel dirty after watching that."

Kairi laughed. "They're all too far gone to remember that someone just traded a handmade scarf for a thirty-second lap dance."

"You okay with them trading gifts?"

"Too drunk to care. Either way, I hope there are no hard feelings about it."

"Hard feelings? No. Feeling hard? Probably." Sora drank, hoping to forget the image he just saw. "I guess I really don't have to worry about you living with two guys."

Kairi turned to him. "You were worried about that?"

Sora changed the subject. "Well, I don't know about you, but I want to know who engineered the trading over there."

"You wanna get in on it?" Kairi asked. "I think I'm going to. Should I aim for the vibrator?"

"Kairi, you can't just go and offer sexual favors for better gifts."

"Uh, not with that attitude." Kairi stared at him for a while before a smile slowly formed on her face.

Sora shifted under her gaze. "You're scaring me, Kairi."

"You got that spa package as a gift, didn't you?" She placed her cup on the table and crawled on top of him.

"W-What are you doing?" he squeaked.

"I will lick your neck if you trade with me," she said.

Sora froze. The scent of her perfume made him dizzy as she leaned closer, dulling his thoughts and heightening the sensation of her warm breath on his neck.

"Whoo! Get it, Kairi!" Naminé cheered.

Sora's thoughts sharpened again. He blinked and took his hands off Kairi's waist. When did that happen?

"Aww, don't stop because of me!" Naminé ran over and threw herself on Kairi. She was completely smashed. "In fact, let me get in on it. We'll make it a threesome."

Kairi shook her head. "It's alright. Sora wasn't going to let me do anything."

Sora stuttered. "Uh, well actually I… I—"

"Well let's regroup and prepare for the second attack!" Naminé pulled Kairi to her feet only to use her as support. "We're comin' to get you, Sora. Don't think this is over."

"I'll get that spa day from you. You'll see." Kairi winked.

Sora smiled weakly in return, his heart left racing in Kairi's wake.

* * *

The alcohol was starting to get to Sora, but he was sober enough to know what was going on. He was a little tipsy, but that was leagues better than everyone else at the party. After grabbing a handful of cookies, Sora returned to the living room where Olette, Hayner, Riku, Xion, and Roxas were gathered.

Most of them were holding different gifts than what they started with, but they all seem too drunk to recognize which gift went to which person. Riku somehow ended up with the vibrator, Roxas still had his scarf, but now Hayner had the nice pair of headphones. Xion, whose right wrist was handcuffed to Riku's left, continuously offering her thong for a better gift.

Sora slowly chewed on a chocolate chip cookie, wondering what had happened in the past fifteen minutes. First and foremost, where did the handcuffs come from? Was someone just carrying it around, or was that just lying around the house somewhere? If it was the latter, Sora was going to have a heart-to-heart with Kairi on the people she was living with. If it was the former, then Sora was going to have a heart-to-heart with Kairi on the danger of friends who bring handcuffs to parties.

Sora moved closer to where Xion and Riku were sitting. He really didn't know Xion too well—he just knew that she was good friends with everyone who lived in the house—but he assumed that she was a good friend of Riku's too considering she was sitting on his lap. Riku's arm was wrapped around her waist, but that looked like it had more to do with sitting comfortably while handcuffed than anything else.

"Okay, what's in this thing anyway?" Xion waved the flashdrive in front of her face as she leaned back into Riku's shoulder.

"Pictures of me, of course," Riku closes his eyes. "No, that's a lie. It's a bunch of movies and music. I figured I'd give someone four or five movies, and if they didn't like it, they could delete it and use it for something else."

"That's so considerate of you."

"Isn't it?"

"You're such… you're such a nice person." Xion choked up.

Sora snickered. Drunk people were strange. He stuck around and listened to more of their exchange.

"Can I delete the movies and just take pictures of you and… and put it all on here?" Xion asked.

"You can do anything you set your mind to."

"Wow. You know, I'm not really looking for a relationship. I'm just looking to have some fun. I mean, I'm young. I have all the time in the world to look for a boyfriend."

"I wake up early every day."

Sora covered his face with his hands. He wished he knew where his phone was so he could record their conversation—did it even classify as a conversation? Either way, it was a sight to behold.

"What do you want the vibrator for anyway?" Xion picked it up, turning it on briefly. "I figure a guy like you doesn't need it. Kinda like a DLC bonus item."

"I really want that watch." Riku looked over to Sora, his eyes widening. "Whoa. How long have you been here?"

"A while," Sora chirped. "How'd you end up with the vibrator?"

"I agreed to be handcuffed to her, and I also got to touch her butt. Pretty cool, right?"

Sora quirked a brow. "That's… interesting."

"Do you think Kairi wants a vibrator? I really want that watch," Riku groaned as Xion turned herself around.

"Pretty sure she's not interested," Sora lied. At the rate the gift exchange was going, Sora didn't think it would be a straight trade.

"Damn. Looks like I'm keeping this." Riku turned back to Xion. "I'm keeping this."

"We should use it later. Can I get your number?" Xion asked.

"I've always wanted to be a booty-call," Riku said.

Sora got up and left the pair alone, only to find Hayner and Olette all over each other on the loveseat. Off to the side, Roxas was shaking his head. He walked over to Kairi's housemate and sat next to him.

"You really wanted that scarf, didn't you?"

"It was made by my lovely girlfriend," Roxas said. He looked around the room. "Where is she anyway?"

"Beats me," Sora answered. He stared at Roxas. "You're not even drunk, are you?"

Roxas laughed. "Nope."

"I thought you drank a lot."

"I did at first, but after feeling a buzz I started pouring whatever I had in my cup into Hayner's. He's been too drunk to notice that he never needed a refill."

Sora laughed. "Nice." He sat back before something dawned on him. "Wait a second. You gave Hayner a lap dance!"

"That, and the most awkward boner ever." The boys erupted into a laughing fit. "Seriously, I think I may have confused him."

"I think he knows what he wants now," Sora said, motioning toward the tangled mess that was Olette and Hayner. Hayner's hands disappeared under Olette's sweater. Sora averted his gaze.

"They're pretty disgusting."

"Says the guy who gave another dude a lap dance."

"Hey, even Naminé was cheering me on. If anyone remembers, they'll think I was drunk anyway. Oh, they finally stopped."

Sora looked back just in time to see Hayner take a leap.

"I love you," Hayner confessed to Olette.

Roxas cringed. "Uh-oh."

Whatever Hayner and Olette had going suddenly disappeared. Olette got off Hayner as if it burned to touch him, shook her head, said a couple things to him, and walked away, leaving him stunned in place. She turned around and walked back, but she simply returned for her basket of coffee and chocolates before awkwardly shuffling away.

"Nothing like a drunken confession to ruin their night," Roxas said.

"Olette and Hayner aren't a thing?" Sora asked. "They were all over each other a second ago!"

"I don't know where you've been, but Olette's been all over Riku tonight. I think Hayner was her second option. Though I don't think she would have ever done anything with him if she knew he had feelings for her."

"Wow. An actual example of being friendzoned."

"Yeah, that wasn't pretty. I'm glad we don't have to worry about that stuff. You know, me having a girlfriend and all and you… yeah."

"Wait, we? What do you mean?" Sora sat up.

"Seriously? No wonder nothing's happened yet." Roxas stood up and stretched. "You should ask Kairi yourself. I'm gonna talk to Olette and make sure she's alright."

Sora watched Roxas grab Olette's coat and walk out the front door, wondering what he meant before he left. Sora assumed it was yet another hint that Kairi liked him. If that was the case, he wanted to find her. It sounded wrong, but if there was a night to confront Kairi about his feelings, it'd be this one. If she felt the same way, they both won. If she didn't, then he could blame the alcohol or bank on the possibility that she might not remember.

Since Kairi was nowhere to be found, Sora took it upon himself to check on Hayner, who had retreated to the kitchen. Sora found him leaning over the counter, his face buried in his arms.

"Hey, Hayner. You okay?"

"Do I look okay?" Hayner snapped. "I just got rejected. Rejected! I'm worthless."

"I get that, but do you have to be so dramatic about it?"

"You don't understand. I'll never get to touch her boobs again now." Hayner sobbed, leaning on the fridge for support.

"I'm glad you have your priorities straight. You probably won't even remember this."

"You know what's worse?" He sniffled.

"What?"

"We'll never be royals. Never, Sora!" Hayner wailed as he fell to the floor. "It don't run in our blood."

"…Are you singing to me?"

Hayner curled into the fetal position, softly humming a melody as he cried on the tiled floor.

"Okay. I'm leaving now." Sora slowly backed out of the kitchen.

Being friendzoned was the least of Hayner's problems. Kid needed help.

Sora walked back into the living room, but found that everyone had left. Kairi, however, was there. She was taking the decorations off the Christmas tree. He walked over and sat down on the couch behind her, waiting for her to notice.

"Are you going to help or are you just going to stare all night?"

Sora got up. "I was hoping that you wouldn't notice me for a while."

"You can call me queen bee!" Hayner yelled from the kitchen.

Kairi raised a brow. "Was that…?"

"Don't mind him. He's done for the night." Sora put his hands on his hips and stared at the tree. "So why are we taking this down?"

"Axel wants to burn the tree." Kairi bent over to unplug the lights. Sora tilted his head before he realized what he was doing.

He cleared his throat. "Where'd you go, anyway?"

"I helped Naminé and Axel set up the fire pit. Most of them are out there right now if you want to join them." Kairi handed the plug to Sora as she continued taking off the ornaments.

"I'd rather be here." Sora smiled.

Little by little, they cleared the tree in a comfortable silence, save from the occasional wail and tune from Hayner in the kitchen. Sora's heart sped up with each passing second. Perhaps the Paopu Punch had a lot to do with it, but he was feeling much bolder than usual.

He really wanted to ask how Kairi felt about him.

He ran through multiple scenarios in his head. Should he just approach it casually? It seemed weird and out of place to just suddenly ask her out of the blue, but it certainly got the job done and didn't leave a lot of room for beating around the bush. He also considered asking to kiss her, which he'd be able to disguise as trade leverage. Unlike the other option, it gave him a way out if things went sour.

And he'd get a kiss out of it anyway.

There was also the extremely straightforward approach, one that Sora had dreamed of doing every time he visited Kairi. He had done it so many times in his dreams and his imagination that he was sure it would look so perfect and movie-worthy. He'd close the distance between them, wrap Kairi in his arms, run his hands along her smooth skin, and whisper into her hair that resisting his urges to make her his was the closest thing to torture that he had ever experienced.

"Sora?"

Kairi's voice snapped him out of his daydream. "What?"

"We're done. You can put the lights down now."

"Oh. Right." Sora sat next to Kairi on the couch. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back against the cushion, exposing her neck. He gulped. "Long night, huh?" he said, trying to make conversation.

"For real. The room's still a little spinny."

"At least you have some idea of what's real. The guy in the kitchen there? He's so gone."

Kairi giggled. "Everyone's a little out of it. Riku had to take his pants off a little while ago to get a gift trade."

"He must be freezing." The two laughed. "But seriously, it was only a matter of time before someone's pants came off."

Kairi shrugged. "He really wanted those massage oils for some reason. Naminé actually asked him to take off his boxers too so she could see if Roxas was bigger, but Roxas shut that down pretty quickly."

Sora smirked. "Naminé's a little crazy when she's drunk."

"Apparently. As soon as she got that vibrator, she handed it to Roxas and told him to test it out with her."

"It's always the quiet ones who are secretly kinky as hell."

"She's not that quiet when she's here," Kairi said with a laugh. "Roxas must know what he's doing."

"That's way more information than I wanted."

Their eyes met. The air felt warm, and Sora hoped he wasn't the only one who noticed the thick tension in the room. They'd been dancing around it for a while, and Sora was sure that Kairi was wondering the same thing.

Kairi had to have remembered her earlier proposition. Amidst all the talk of what their friends did, that offer hung over them the entire time. Sora didn't know if it was the alcohol or the Paopu aphrodisiac thing or the general mood of the night, but he decided to do something potentially stupid.

Screw it. Go big or go home, he thought.

"You still wanna trade gifts?" Sora asked. His voice trembled nervously.

Kairi leaned forward. "If you'll let me do everything I want to do to you, then… yeah."

Sora practically threw himself on Kairi. They fell back, kissing each other desperately as they relieved years of pent-up frustration and passion. Sora shuddered as Kairi's cold hands snuck under his shirt and ran up his chest.

Pulling a page out of Hayner's book, Sora spilled his guts. "I think I've been in love with you for a really long time now," he said. He cupped her cheeks and kissed her more.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this," Kairi practically whined.

"A really long time?"

"Oh. So you knew. Why did we wait so long?"

Kairi wrapped her legs around his waist as Sora stumbled toward her bedroom. They ignored Hayner's cry of pain when Sora accidentally kicked his head on the way.

Sora slammed the bedroom door behind them and threw Kairi onto the bed. He pinned her dress down as she shrugged out of it and paused so he could get a good look.

"Holy shit."

Everything seemed to blur together, and Sora could only make sense of the sound of Kairi's sighs and the feel of her hot skin at his fingertips. He trailed kisses down her neck, intent on going as far as she'd allow. He didn't get very far. Kairi pulled him back up.

"No fair." She pouted until she managed to pull his shirt over his head. After that, she clumsily unbuttoned his jeans, pushing them as far down as her arms could reach. Soon the only barriers between them were their undergarments and a thin layer of sweat.

Sora pulled the blanket over them. They were a mess of tangled limbs and wandering hands, but to them, it was perfection. Sora quickly grew addicted to the sound Kairi made when he kissed her neck, which he attacked mercilessly with his lips as his fingers fumbled with the clasp of her bra. Kairi only made it harder to concentrate, running her hands through his hair and grinding her hips into his.

He loved every second of it. He wanted to spend the rest of the night exploring her body and figure out what made her make those wonderful noises. As if they had a mind of their own, his hands ran rampant over her hot skin, gliding effortlessly over her smooth curves.

It occurred to Sora that he was the first one to see and touch Kairi so intimately. A primal lust swept over him. He hungrily kissed her bare shoulder, smiling as Kairi whispered his name over and over again. He wanted her, needed every part of her. He surrendered to his urges and tugged at Kairi's underwear, pulling it a little lower.

His heart raced faster.

She didn't stop him.

He was just about ready to explode when Kairi thumbs dipped inside the waistband of his boxers.

Then the fire alarm rang.

"You lit it on fire!" Roxas screamed from the living room.

Sora and Kairi looked at each other for a split second before Sora jumped out of bed. In the living room, Axel was laughing maniacally while Roxas struggled to haul a flaming tree out the door. Sora ran over immediately and helped Roxas toss it out, right into the fire pit that had been set up earlier. The rest of the drunken party guests cheered as the tree erupted in flames.

Sora shied away from the heat. "You okay? Not burned or anything, are you?"

"I'm fine. Thanks for helping." Roxas looked at Sora, his eyes falling on Sora's only article of clothing. He grimaced. "Ugh, dude!"

Sora looked down and blushed. "Oh! Damn it, don't look!" He ran back into the house, brushing past Axel, who kept on chanting "Fire!" as he ran in circles outside.

When Sora got back to Kairi's room, he was a little disappointed to find that she had already put her clothes back on. He sat on the bed next to her.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. Axel lit the tree on fire, just like he said he would. Roxas and I moved it outside though."

"He lit it in the living room?" Kairi asked loudly.

"It wasn't too bad. If you guys hadn't watered it, it probably would have been worse."

Kairi rested her head on his shoulder. "Sorry. I've got some crazy people in my family."

"Won't stop me from signing up for this, if that's what you were hoping." He kissed her, unable to stop the smile that surfaced. "I'm guessing the mood got killed when I ran out?"

"I think it's more accurate to say that the mood was killed when I thought the house was going to burn down."

"Well, that's alright. I'm sure by now everyone knows what we've been up to."

"You told everyone already?" Kairi handed him his shirt and pants. "That was quick."

"I didn't tell anyone. Roxas might have seen me at full mast though."

"That's disgusting, Sora. You can't just swing that thing around."

"It's your fault!" He chuckled as he got dressed. "Everyone's outside, you know. I'll meet you out there?"

"Sounds good." Kairi took one step outside her bedroom before leaning back in. "Bring Hayner outside with you, please."

As soon as the door closed, Sora fell back onto the bed and grabbed a pillow. He rolled around with the pillow smashed against his face, laughing uncontrollably out of sheer happiness.

Kairi liked him. After years of pining for her and being separated for college, he finally knew that she felt the same way about him. He pinched himself twice to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Everything was real.

And everything was wonderful.

He finished dressing and scooped up Hayner, who was still humming to himself on his way out the front door. His friends were gathered around the fire, some huddled up for warmth. It had stopped snowing a while ago, but a thick layer coated the ground in the surrounding area. Sora dropped Hayner next to Axel, who was reverently feeding the fire.

"My precious…" Axel prodded the flames, his emerald eyes shining against the light.

"Well then…" Sora walked over to Kairi, passing the handcuffed pair along the way. Just as Kairi had described, Riku was still pants-less, which he compensated for by sitting a bit closer to the fire than everyone else. Xion stared wide-eyed at the fire, mesmerized by flames.

Next to them was Olette, who was still talking animatedly despite having to reject her friend's feelings earlier that night. Kairi was on the other side of her, sitting on a patio bench. Roxas and Naminé, who were cuddling with her back resting against his chest, rounded out the circle. The handmade scarf Roxas had paid for with a lap dance tied them together.

"Ugh. Smells like sex over there," Roxas teased as he scooted away from Sora and Kairi.

"Don't be mean," Naminé chided. She smiled at Sora, making him blush. "You couldn't wait 'til after the party before doing something naughty?"

"I couldn't resist." Sora shrugged as he sat next to Kairi. "Besides, we didn't get to go that far," he mumbled.

"Sora!" Kairi shook her head.

"Kairi, we're official, right?" Sora looked away, hoping that it was too dark to reveal his blush.

"You really have to ask?" Kairi asked.

"Just making sure." Sora threw his arm over her shoulder and leaned back, basking in the warmth of the fire. "We should continue where we left off when everyone goes to sleep."

Kairi leaned closer. "Maybe… no, definitely."

Sora grinned widely. This fire needed to burn out soon.

They watched the flames flicker in the pit and crackle as it burned. A gust of wind blew by, and Sora hugged Kairi even tighter.

She kissed him, her lips warm against his cold cheek. "I'm really glad you came for this party. Thanks."

"Yeah. I'm going to need to visit more often now." He rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. "It's good to be back."

* * *

**Redeeming Endeavor: **I hope you enjoyed this second portion of our collaboration. Special thanks to my partners in crime, Jomatto and xoKyorii. This has been unbelievably fun. Thanks so much for making my first writing collaboration such an amazing experience.

I'm once again invoking my power as team leader and dedicating this story to you, our readers. We all wanted to work together and give you guys a little Christmas present the only way we knew how.

As a little aside, if any of you are interested in getting a behind-the-scenes look at this thing, xoKyorii has a link to a GoogleDoc in her profile. The document includes our status updates from the past month, the outline and challenge list we created, our rough drafts, and some conversation highlights we had over Skype (which were, by the way, freaking hilarious).

Thanks for your time and attention! Now it's time for you guys to read the work of the very person who engineered this entire collaboration—your very own xoKyorii.

Take care, and I'll see you around!


	3. xo Kyorii

**A/N:** Doth my eyes deceive me? Did the leaning tower of Pisa just fall over a little more? Did the Sphinx break apart? Did a volcano just erupt? Is the zombie apocalypse finally over? Is this, dare I say it, an update? And with Jomatto and Redeeming Endeavor, no less? What sick mastermind came up with this?

**Fun fact: (11/14/13, 2:08PM)** I was sixteen when I last updated. I will be eighteen by the time this is posted.

**(12/02/13, 4:21PM)** On my way home from 'Murrica. A small cup of frozen yogurt in Canada, filled 3/4 of the way, is $5.75. Two full cups of substantially larger size in the USA is $6.10. WHAT IS THIS WITCHCRAFT.

**(12/19/13, 10:02AM)** Surprise surprise! I've published a book for my eighteenth birthday. You can purchase and read more about it at the top of **my profile page**. There is also a new poll up, so don't forget to check that out, too!

**Warning:** Sora and Kairi get a little freaky in the middle. Poking at the M rating here. Bow chicka wow wow.

Well then, without further ado, I present to you the final installment of "It's Good To Be Back!"

* * *

**The Observations of a Christmas Tree  
xo Kyorii  
**

This is going to be extensively entertaining.

I have the right to say that, seeing as that I am the all-seeing, all-knowing omniscient viewer of this whole shebang.

In all my years serving as the Christmas tree for the ninth floor of Cornerstone Hall, I can confidently say that this is the prettiest I have been in years. The art major, Naminé I believe, has adorned me with lavish decorations: silk ribbons, carefully handcrafted nutcracker soldiers and angels, glittery Christmas balls, you name it. I am red carpet worthy, and this surely beats the nerf bullets that her predecessors dressed me in the year prior, and the bras I was dressed in the year before that.

As she places a rather expensive looking star on my head, her floor-mates huddle together by the couches in the common room to begin drawing for their gift exchange; or, as the porcupine (Sora, I think?) calls it, "Secret Santa." Ed Sheeran (I'm pretty sure his real name is Roxas, but I just like calling him that because I always used to see him with his guitar) is on the monitor of Porcupine's laptop on Skype. He calls Naminé over with a smile, and the artist happily complies despite his physical existence. The coffee table has informed me that Roxas has been gone for nearly a year now, studying abroad for his international studies course. He's been in Radiant Garden for months now, which I find unfortunate because I've always thought that he and Naminé were physically inseparable. They must be dying inside.

My good friend, otherwise known as the lamp, informs me that, on top of the coffee table, there is a slip of paper that assigns each of the students a number in a sealed envelope. It is to be opened on the day of Roxas' birthday/ the Christmas party _only_. Next to the envelope is a fedora that contains numbered slips of paper. The porcupine insists that his cousin Roxas, the future birthday celebrant, should draw first.

Sora draws the number four for his cousin due to his lack of ability to physically do so. Unbeknownst to the musician, this number was assigned to Sora's girlfriend Kairi. I've always liked her. I hear that she and her sister Naminé always treat my friends with respect; unlike that barbarian, Hayner, who beats the poor coffee table to a pulp during his rage gamer fits.

I then sense the disappointment my friends are silently expressing. We were all hoping that Roxas would draw Naminé, because anyone who is anyone (and I'm a fucking_ tree_ for crying out loud), can see that they're meant for each other.

Some of us, however, lack the ability to subtly express our dismay, such as the flowers wilting on the dining table and the fire weakening in the fireplace. The stove, however, boldly pisses off the kettle and forces Olette to address the problem herself after attracting everyone's attention. After shrugging off the rather mysterious and spontaneous quandary, the students resume their activity.

Porcupine draws the number eight and immediately assumes that it belongs to his girlfriend because _feelings_. The coffee table tells me that it really belongs to Axel, his girlfriend's older brother.

The pyromaniac will not be pleased with the Tiffany & Co bracelet he's about to receive.

Riku, whom I have assigned the nickname Sunsilk because _all dat weave doe_, draws six, which belongs to Naminé.

Axel draws next. Boy or girl, sexually active or not, we all know that the person he draws is getting condoms. He draws one. Hayner. That gift will be useful when exams fuck him up the ass.

The draws continue for about five more minutes, and Naminé is the last to go. There is only one number left in the fedora, and that is thirteen.

She is the one to draw Roxas.

* * *

One of my favourite parts of Secret Santa is watching the students get creative for two weeks.

Hayner is currently clutching the sides of his head, brows knitted in concentration. His brown eyes stare daggers at the slip of paper on the coffee table. The number two is forever etched in his mind. He has memorized every fiber of the number's being –even how the ink slightly fades at the tips.

"What are you doing?" Pence asks. He casually plops down on the couch and respects the coffee table by keeping his feet on the ground.

"Waiting for the gaming spirits to give me an answer," Hayner answers. He closes his eyes as if he expects to wake up in a transcendental state when he wakes up. "I'm seeing a name... a name that starts with the letter... V! Ve... Ventus!"

Pence briefly points out that Ventus graduated two years ago.

Hayner -albeit embarrassed- tries again. He insists that the number two belongs to Selphie, the fashion major ("Because the gaming spirits told me so," he reasons). Pence merely shrugs because he wouldn't know, either. The gamer then brings out his laptop for shameless shoe shopping and impulsively orders a pair that will be delivered within a week's time. He then sits back and relaxes, thinking that his troubles regarding "this stupid exchange" are over and done with because of his _speshul taktics_.

The look on his face when he realizes that he just bought Pence five-inch heels will be priceless.

* * *

Porcupine walks in on Sunsilk twerking in front of his laptop. I confess that I am jealous of the fireplace, who gets a perfect view of _dat ass_.

"Why would you give someone a video of you twerking for Christmas?" Sora asks innocently.

Riku haughtily places his hands on his hips.

"Who wouldn't want a video of me twerking for Christmas?" he asks.

"Truth," Sora admits wholeheartedly. He joins his best friend moments later.

* * *

Tidus gets a little more creative.

"_Eeee nini yeni aii ini ohh nini aii_," he chants.

He has the room dimly lit with candlelight and has a generous amount of tribal make-up on his face. While music that is a little strange for my tastes blares from his wireless speakers, he does a strange dance that involves plenty of mindless gyrating and wrist flicking. In the center of the carpeted surface, candles surround the number ten in a circular fashion.

"I'd ask, but I'm afraid of the answer," Kairi says as she enters the common room with Naminé.

"The Ancients of Destiny Islands used to hold rituals similar to this to gain visions of the future," Tidus explains mid-gyrate.

Kairi chuckles and rolls her eyes as she leads Naminé towards the kitchen to speak to her privately. As Naminé prepares herself a cup of Jasmine tea, Kairi leans on the edge of the countertop and looks at her sister with a devious smile.

"So..." she begins suspiciously.

"Your tone alone already suggests that what you're about to say is going to be incredibly sketchy," Naminé says as she drops the tea bag into her cup.

Kairi fake laughs and throws her hair over her shoulder to cover up her mediocre acting skills.

"Sketchy?" she asks with poorly executed innocence. "No. Everyone else and I have been talking about how Roxas should have something..._ special_ on his birthday when he returns."

"The sketch is real."

"No. Let me finish. We're thinking he needs something special _decoration _wise. We always have the classic banners and confetti, but this is Roxas' birthday. He's been gone for almost a year for his international studies. He needs to return to something _epic_, and this is the last celebration of the year before we're sent back home for winter break. This party must be _legendary_. One for the books. Project X part two. You feeling my vibe, girl?"

Naminé merely nods in understanding as she stirs her cup of tea.

"And judging by the fact that you're talking to me, I'm guessing that you've all agreed that I will be the one to provide this epic decoration?" she asks.

"Well since you're the only art major, we figured that you'd be the only one who could actually do it," Kairi answers shamelessly.

She must have gotten an A in high school philosophy because that was some well executed deductive reasoning right there.

"So what do you have in mind?" Naminé asks. There is a hint of fear in her glassy blue eyes.

"An ice sculpture," Kairi whispers with unnecessarily dramatic hand gestures.

Naminé only stares at her with her jaw agape.

"How the heck do you expect me to make an _ice sculpture_? Where would you even _get_ that much ice? And are you sure it's a good idea to have an ice sculpture and intoxicated university students in the same room? They could use... inappropriate body parts to cool their drinks."

"Okay, one: Pence will hook you up with the ice. He knows a guy. And two," Kairi smiles at her friend devilishly. "You were thinking of making the statue _naked_?"

Naminé turns so red that even the red couches start laughing at her.

"I-It's just," she begins to stammer, "in Art History majority of the statues are naked to depict the perfection of Gods and Goddesses…"

"So you think Roxas looks like a Greek god?" Kairi pesters, her devilish smile unfaltering. This girl deserves a high five.

"Kairi!" Naminé whines, but before Kairi can annoy her sister even more, the fire alarm begins to ring.

The girls turn to see Tidus screaming like a little girl as his tush catches on fire.

* * *

Naminé catches Pence just as he is about to exit the common room.

"Pence!" she calls out, and the photography major's eyes widen in shock. It is as if he doesn't want her to be there.

"N-Naminé," he stammers. He hides a large roll of something behind his back.

"What are you hiding?" she asks with a giggle.

Pence sees that it is futile to hide such a large item and sighs in defeat.

"It's a background for my photo studio," he answers, showing her the roll.

"That's a lovely shade of blue," Naminé compliments. It really is.

"Thank you," he says graciously. Then, hastily, "So how may I help you today?"

"Kairi tells me you can supply me with ice for Roxas' ice sculpture," Naminé answers.

"Oh, I can. It will be delivered within two days time and we'll store it in the freezer down the hall. I'll tell you when it's here."

"Sounds good," Naminé says excitedly. "Thanks Pence!"

When she is out of sight, Pence sighs in relief and suspiciously hugs the large roll while scanning the common room discreetly. What is he up to?

* * *

Today Naminé is researching the meaning of numbers while Skyping with Ed Sheeran.

"It says here that the moon association of the number thirteen is femininity," says Naminé. If that isn't a slam to Roxas' manhood, then I don't know what is. "Maybe thirteen belongs to a girl?"

"Perhaps," Roxas answers unsurely.

"However, in Greek mythology, it says that Zeus was considered the thirteenth God, so perhaps it's a boy."

"Maybe you should just get something generic that both genders will appreciate," Roxas suggests. He then shrugs nonchalantly. "That's what I did. I'd like to see someone resist a box of Paopuro Rocher."

"That's so boring," Naminé says as she sticks her tongue out at him.

"It's the thought that counts," Roxas reminds with playful finger wagging. "Besides, you and I both know that all the girls are getting Bath and Body Works baskets because the guys have _no idea_ what else to get. Lotion is the universal lady pleaser and is our safest bet; no sexual innuendo intended."

Naminé raises a suspicious but amused eyebrow at him.

"Are you sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Sora works there and that all of you can get discounts?"

"Hey, for the record, that store is good for other things," Roxas claims. "I managed to come up with a few pick up lines that will make a girl want to _do me_."

"Oh yeah?" Naminé crosses her arms, challenging him. "Try me."

Roxas clears his throat for dramatic effect before executing his line with professionalism and charm. "Hey girl, I know you're checking out some Japanese Cherry Blossom, but right now you're giving me some Twilight Wood."

One of my bells jingle as I chuckle, but the two blonds are too immersed in each other to suspect anything.

Naminé laughs, and although he is slightly pixilated on the monitor, I am still able to see the admiration in Ed Sheeran's eyes. He likes this girl, he misses her, he _longs_ for her touch, but he doesn't need to say a thing to express this.

When Naminé's laughter subsides, reality hits her like a blitzball to the face. For a brief moment, she felt as if Roxas was actually _there_: there, beside her on the couch, with an arm placed around her shoulders and the smell of his cologne right in her face, but she soon discovers that this is not so. It is only her, her laptop, and the empty seat beside her. Her best friend is not here, but thousands of miles away.

"Naminé?" On her computer screen, Roxas begins waving his hands in front of his webcam. "Hello? Earth to Néné? Hellooo? Hey!" He begins using ludicrous methods to get her attention. "I like big booty bitches. I'm going to shave my left eyebrow. I'm thinking of getting a tattoo of Axel's ass on my chest."

The artist shakes herself out of her trance and looks at Roxas strangely.

"What are you saying?" she asks.

"Wow, you're so out of it," Roxas comments with a chuckle. "Are you okay?"

"I think I just miss you is all," Naminé admits shamelessly. He is her best friend. She has no reason to lie.

"Aww," Roxas sings. He places a hand over where his heart would be and smiles warmly.

"It's okay," he assures, "I'd miss me too."

The next thing I see on the screen is "Connection Lost."

* * *

I wake up to the sound of giggling.

As the Christmas tree of a _university dorm_, I recognize this kind of giggling almost instantly. It is the giggling of a young woman and her ting right before they _get it on_.

My suspicions are confirmed when Sora stumbles into the empty common room with his giggling girlfriend not too far behind. When Kairi leans against the wall to catch her breath, Sora seizes the opportunity and kisses her hotly while shoving her against the wall in excitement. I can already hear the complaints of the couch and the coffee table.

_Not again,_ they groan.

In all honesty, I don't see the logic in making out in the common room at three in the morning. They'd be much safer in their rooms, but I suppose it's the danger of getting caught that keeps them coming back for more.

"Sora," Kairi giggles in between kisses, "We shouldn't be doing this here! We could get caught!"

Bitch, please. You know you want it.

"No one's here," Sora whispers as he trails wet kisses down to her chin, her jaw, her succulent neck...

This is all the solace Kairi needs.

She does not fight as Sora pulls on her shirt at an agonizingly slow pace, and he does not stop until her right shoulder is fully exposed to him. She whimpers as the cold air hits her body, and he smirks against her neck as he continues his journey to downtown. Sora forcefully grabs the back of Kairi's left leg and wraps it around his waist so that she can _feel_ his hips grind into hers. Kairi gasps at the intimate contact, tempting her boyfriend even more. He smirks and continues his actions with more force.

"You like that?" he whispers huskily into her ear. She rewards him with a lovely moan and wraps her other leg around his waist. He carries her over to the fireplace, gently places her on the carpeted surface, and attacks her body with urgent kisses almost instantly. I hear the fireplace growl.

My friends and I begin to place bets.

_Second base,_ the lamp says.

I say third, but the fireplace insists that they'll reach a home run because "Sora knows what he's doing."

The heat from the fireplace and their "activity" coat the couple in a thin layer of sweat, which does nothing but fuel the wants of the two teenagers. Kairi pulls off Sora's shirt almost effortlessly and he hisses in pleasure when her hands explore and appreciate his body.

Kairi rolls them over so that she is the dominant one and she laughs at the expression he makes when she subtly grinds her hips against his.

"If this is your idea of payback, then I am _so okay_ with that," Sora says as he grabs her hips to find a steady rhythm. As she continues to ride him, Sora uses one hand to undo the buttons of her blouse, and when he reaches the last one, Kairi shrugs it off and he throws it away into the vast unknown.

He looks up at his girlfriend and feels his love for her overpower his lust. The firelight hits her so perfectly that he temporarily loses his ability to speak. Her eyes glisten with want, her lips quiver expectantly, and her chest heaves in anticipation. He gently caresses her cheek and feels his heart swell when she kisses his wrist with a smile.

"So beautiful," he whispers, but when his hand travels down to the clasp of her bra, the lust makes its slow return. As Kairi kisses his neck, her hands find the button of his jeans. Sora instinctively freezes and loses his grip on her back.

"K-Kairi," he stammers as she unbuttons his jeans. "Th-that's distracting…"

"I know," she says with a malicious smirk. Sora growls and flips them over so that he is on top once again. He refuses to be the submissive one.

"Aw, did I just hurt your man pride?" Kairi asks with a giggle.

Sora merely smirks and finishes what he started a few seconds ago. He rips off her pink bra and mindlessly tosses it aside. His girlfriend gasps at the sudden exposure.

"That's what I thought," Sora says triumphantly. He kisses her cheek and makes his down with a smug grin. He only makes it to her throat when stops him.

"Mm, Sora, do you hear that?" she asks mid-moan.

"No," he says, but as he kisses her shoulder, his ears perk upward and an unpleasant scent fills his nostrils.

"Something's burning," Kairi immediately concludes. She begins to get up, but Sora pushes her back down. She is not getting away.

"That's just my love for you, babe," he says smoothly. She places two fingers over his lips when he tries to kiss her again and turns to look at the fireplace. Her eyes widen.

"Shit!" she curses, shoving her boyfriend off her. "Our clothes are burning!"

The fireplace happily continues to nomnom on the goods.

"What?" Sora asks, his head snapping in the fireplace's direction. He grins evilly as the fire burns the little clasped menace. "Good. You look so much better without the bra in my opinion."

His girlfriend slaps his arm and pulls out what's left of her bra from the fire's edge. Their shirts are already too far gone for rescuing.

"This was my favourite pair," she whines as she holds up half her bra.

"I'll buy you a new one," Sora assures. "However, I don't make any promises that it will last very long."

Kairi frantically searches the room for any of their friends. "We need to get out of here before someone sees."

Sora, who is obviously growing impatient, instantly picks his girlfriend off the ground and carries her bridal style into the dark, empty hallway –or so he thinks. They encounter Axel just as they're about to pass the doorway.

Kairi squeaks and covers her bare chest in the presence of her older brother.

"Kairi, I've seen you naked before," Axel quips with a chuckle. "No need to get all embarrassed."

"I was _three_," she reasons. Sora turns the same shade as his girlfriend's hair.

"How much for you to shut up?" he asks the pyromaniac.

"Fifty for going all Fifty Shades on my sister," Axel says.

"_Ten_," Sora insists.

"Fifty."

"Ten."

"Fifty."

"Fine," Sora groans. He pulls out his wallet and hands his future brother-in-law the amount owed.

By noon the following day, the entire floor knows why the common room smells strange.

* * *

On the day of the Christmas party, the common room transforms into a Winter Wonderland despite the hot weather outside. The room is a joyful blur of silver, white, baby blue, lavender, and yellow. The radio plays "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and a sense of delight washes over me because that song is my _jam_. I happily snuggle into the pile of surprisingly well-wrapped gifts beneath me and recognize a few things such as jewelry, Starbucks gift cards, chocolate, stuffed animals, etc.

When he thinks no one is looking, I catch Axel pouring a bottle of elixir into the paopu juice bowl on the buffet table. I can already hear the couch and coffee table beginning to sob. They will suffer greatly tonight.

By the fireplace, Hayner and Pence are trying to put up Roxas' birthday banner with much difficulty.

"Dude, the D is missing," Hayner points out as he reads "Happy 19th Birth ay Roxas!"

"What?" Pence asks disbelievingly. "How could that have happened? Where's the D?"

The boys hear Larxene, Axel's _special friend_, cackle behind them. She's dressed in what I can confidently say is the sluttiest Santa's helper dress I have ever seen in all my years of service.

"I don't know where the D is now, but I know where it will be later," she says with her eyes half-lidded and sultry. Hayner can already feel bile rising in his throat.

Axel then comes up behind Larxene and places an arm around her waist with a suggestive chuckle.

"What's in the bag, babe?" he then asks, referring to the sack slung over Larxene's bare shoulder.

"Oh, just a couple of _toys_ Santa gave me," she answers seductively.

Pence and Hayner shiver in disgust.

In the kitchen, Naminé helps Kairi decorate Roxas' birthday cake with Nutella flavoured icing –Roxas' absolute favourite. The sweet aroma fills the entire common room and the fireplace tells me that it smells so delicious that he curses the fact that he can't eat it.

He needs to be a little more grateful. I can't even smell it.

Preparations seem to be going peacefully well until Sora bursts through the door with a crestfallen expression on his face. Everyone in the room turns to face him –even Axel and Larxene, who just stopped making out behind me.

"What's wrong?" Pence asks, afraid of the answer. He walks down the steps of the ladder at an eerily slow pace.

"It's Roxas," Sora says breathlessly. I can feel Naminé's heart skip a beat.

"Is he okay? Is he hurt?" the artist immediately asks. I find it strange that no one else seems to be panicking as… _passionately_ as Naminé. They remain frozen in shock.

"No, but his flight just stopped over at the Land of Dragons," Sora says dramatically. Then, with a heavy heart he adds, "He, uh… he won't be leaving for another five hours. They're waiting for a snowstorm to pass. He won't be able to make it tonight, guys."

I feel the light on my star beginning to fade. The flowers wilt once more. The lamp's light weakens. I feel the little drummer boys and angels slump their shoulders.

The night is ruined.

* * *

In three hours time, the party is in full swing regardless of the birthday boy's absence.

Porcupine, who is dressed in dark jeans, a festive Santa hat, and a red knit sweater (courtesy of his girlfriend, no doubt), joins a couple of his close friends on the couches with a slightly intoxicated grin. He may be a bit tipsy, but it still bothers me how quickly he got over his cousin's nonattendance.

"Hey guys, what's up?" he yells over the dubstep version of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. On the dance floor, students grind like there's no tomorrow. If I could tree palm myself for the lack of Christmas spirit, I would.

"We're playing the Wal-Mart game," Hayner says as he takes a shot of elixir.

"Buy three items to freak out the cashier. Go," Riku demands.

Sora taps his chin –a sure sign that he is deep in thought. After a few moments, he answers with, "A cucumber… a drill… and _Fifty Shades of Grey_."

Everyone raises his or her hands in surrender.

"You win," Tidus declares.

In the kitchen, Naminé drowns her sorrows in gingerbread cookies and milk. She wears a white button up with a stylish blue sweater overtop, a black skirt, and a deflated expression on her face. She lifts the gingerbread man that is so obviously Roxas due to its spiky head and frowns at it. She then dunks gingerbread Roxas into her glass of milk and drowns him.

"Whoa, what did gingy Roxas ever do to you?" Kairi asks as she takes the seat next to Naminé.

"It's what he didn't do," the artist groans. She slumps her shoulders in defeat and bites the head off gingerbread Roxas. "I know it's not his fault that he can't make it, but I'm just a little…"

"Disappointed," Kairi finishes for her. She places a reassuring hand on Naminé's shoulder and says, "Hey, it's totally normal to be disappointed. You've been waiting all year for him to come back, and the day he's supposed to return, he doesn't show. And on top of that, you basically built a six-foot tall ice sculpture for nothing, and we baked a three tier birthday cake for a birthday celebrant that's a no show. I think that gives you the right to be upset."

"Thank you for summing that up," Naminé mumbles sarcastically. "Is this what you came here for? To rub in why this Christmas party _sucks_ and to crush what's left of my Christmas spirit?"

"The wickedest of truths are always better than the most beautiful lies," Kairi says a matter-of-factly.

"This isn't the time for your Dumbledore bullshit, Kairi," Naminé snaps bitterly.

Kairi raises her hands in surrender and leans back.

"Naminé Fleuret Caelum, such language," Kairi says with a hand over her heart. As Naminé rolls her eyes, Kairi places a hand over her sister's pale, delicate ones on the table. "Hey, don't let this ruin your night. He'll be here tomorrow. For now, let's just be thankful that we were able to pull off this party and can celebrate it with most of our friends. Everyone else is having fun, so why can't you?"

"Everyone else is kind of hammered," Naminé points out sullenly.

She points out Riku in particular, who has tied a yoga ball to some rope and rides on it sensually as if it were a wrecking ball. All my friends within a five-meter radius of his swinging begin to say their goodbyes.

"Look, Nams. _Nothing_ is going to happen to you if you just sit here, so you might as well make _something_ out of the night," Kairi suggests. She offers her hand to her sister and forcefully drags her towards me. "Now come on. Let's open some presents!"

Five minutes later, I find my feet completely naked. The students scatter themselves on the couches and all hold the gifts they bought in anticipation. Kairi, the one responsible for assigning everyone a number, holds the sealed envelope that contains all the information required. But before she opens it, she reminds everyone that there is no trading allowed. The gift you get is the gift you get. Period.

She then opens the envelope and calls out the number one. Axel raises his small gift in the air, and on it is a tag with his assigned number.

"Number one belongs to…" she begins dramatically. "Hayner!"

Axel's immediate response is to swear.

"Well this was a total waste," he says, handing the pack of condoms to Hayner with a grim expression.

"You're a total waste!" Hayner exclaims, slapping the gift out of the pyromaniac's hand.

"See, if I wanted my own comeback, I would have wiped it off your mother's chin," Axel counters with a smug grin.

Everyone rolls their eyes in response.

"Number two is… Pence!" Kairi announces with verve.

Pence gulps in fear. He is quick to do the math.

Two weeks ago, he walked in on Hayner shoe shopping online because he assumed that the number two belonged to Selphie. Because of this, Pence already knows what's inside the poorly wrapped gift.

"Well, at least your legs will look hot," Selphie jokes, but her crossed arms and furrowed eyebrows express her obvious jealousy.

"Number six belongs to… Naminé!" Kairi announces minutes later.

Riku proudly flips some of his luscious locks behind his shoulder and hands Naminé a flat, square shaped present that is undoubtedly a DVD case.

"You will _enjoy_ this," he says suggestively.

"It's not porn is it?" Naminé asks fearfully.

"No," Riku answers.

Huh, that's it? I would've at least expected some witty remark or even a punch line, maybe.

"But it might as well be," he then adds with a wink.

Whomp, there it is.

"Number eight is..."

Sora crosses his fingers and hopes that the number eight belongs to his redheaded lover.

"Axel!"

Well, at least he got the redheaded part down.

"Merry Christmas," Sora mumbles crankily as he hands Axel the long, rectangular box. "It's a Tiffany and Co. bracelet," he whispers in the pyromaniac's ear.

"Seriously?" Axel is surprisingly pleased. "Thanks man. You totally just got me a gift for Larxene."

Behind me, Axel tears the wrapping paper off the present and sticks a ribbon that he found on the ground on top of the box.

"Number ten is… Tidus!"

Everyone looks around the room for the person assigned the number ten, but no one raises their present in the air.

"Did no one get number ten?" Kairi asks with concern.

"No, I did," Tidus answers. Everyone turns to look at him with excited smiles.

"Well then, what did you get yourself?" Xion asks, intrigued.

Tidus nonchalantly lifts up a pair of keys. Everyone stares at them with their jaws agape.

"You got yourself a _car_?" Hayner asks incredulously. "Why couldn't I have been number ten? Kairi, can you look over the names again? Maybe you didn't see the zero next to the one on my name."

"What? I didn't buy a car," Tidus says with a laugh.

"A motorcycle?" Sora asks, hopeful.

"Nah, they're just keys to my room," the surfer answers.

"Why would you have given someone keys to your room?" Selphie asks curiously.

"So they can come inside for their real present," Tidus answers as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"And what was the real present?" Kairi asks.

"A lap dance," Tidus answers whilst body rolling.

Hayner cringes.

"Never mind. I'll take the condoms," he whispers to Kairi discreetly.

* * *

When the Secret Santa comes to a wrap (Christmas gift pun intended), Sora suddenly receives a call on his smart phone.

"Guys!" he yells over the chitchat. "Roxas is calling me on Skype!"

Hayner helps the excitable young man hook his phone onto the plasma screen and sits back to watch the show. Naminé is on her knees in the middle of the hardwood floor. She looks up at the screen with glistening, yearning eyes. Roxas is sitting comfortably in between two empty plane chairs with a bag of roasted peanuts in hand. He smiles regardless of the circumstances, and I can't help but notice that the blue background behind him really brings out his eyes.

"Hey cuzzo!" Sora greets. "Where are you?"

"I just got on the flight to Twilight Town," Roxas answers. "I should be there at around six in the morning."

Everyone groans in response. They party hard, but not _that _hard.

Naminé's shoulders slump as she faces the truth. Roxas really isn't going to show up. He isn't going to magically walk through the door and hug her until she nearly dies of asphyxiation. He isn't here. He isn't coming. Her broken heart nearly makes my Christmas spirit wane, too.

"We miss you, Roxas," Kairi says on behalf of everyone in the room, Naminé especially.

"I miss everyone, too," Roxas says. It appears as if he directs his next statement towards Naminé in particular. "If only I could just walk through the door…"

The connection suddenly worsens, and Roxas' concerned face appears in between static pictures before the connection is completely lost. Silence fills the room.

"Oh wait," a familiar voice says from the doorway. Roxas –wait, _**Roxas?**_ –walks in wearing his signature look: a red button up rolled to his elbows, beige chinos, checkered Vans, and an innocent smile on his face.

"I can," he says with a wink.

Suddenly, it all starts to make sense. Sora's nonchalance towards his cousin's absence, Pence's sketchy behaviour, Sora's over exaggerated acting upon hearing about the 'snowstorm', Kairi's lack of concern, everyone acting so completely normal… and come to think of it, Pence _did _magically disappear a few minutes ago.

Oh, that sneaky little bitch. He had me and my friends fooled_ good_.

But how?

"Surprise!" Roxas exclaims.

Everyone turns to see the reaction of Naminé, who seems to be the only one left out of this 'surprise'.

Ha. Welcome to the club, honey.

She walks towards Roxas with slow, careful strides, and when she reaches him we all expect her to go for a long awaited hug, but instead she hits his arm with such force that he staggers backward and yelps in pain.

"You _asshole_!" she shrieks.

Everyone merely laughs in response. Naminé begins hitting Roxas' chest repeatedly, but her fists seem to have no affect on him this time round. When the familiar smell of his cologne fills her nostrils, she stops and crashes into his chest where she hears his heart beat erratically. He buries his face in her hair and smiles against her forehead.

"How?" she then whispers.

"Why Naminé, I thought you were more attentive to detail than that," Pence says as he leans against the doorframe.

Oh.

_Oh_.

"_That's a lovely shade of blue," Naminé compliments. It really is._

It was the same blue behind Roxas' "airplane." It was a studio set all along. He must've come earlier this morning, and I'll admit: the roasted peanuts were a nice touch.

Naminé seems to get the hint as well because she begins hitting Roxas' chest helplessly once again. Roxas grabs her wrists and keeps them in place as he turns to greet everyone else in the room. He then notices something on top of the fireplace and raises a curious eyebrow.

"Thanks for the wonderful party, guys. Everything looks amazing, but… what happened to the D on my birthday banner?"

Pence and Hayner twitch.

* * *

Two hours later, the party is still at its prime. For Naminé, however, it is as if Roxas is still gone. People who desperately want to catch up with him have constantly swept him from her side, and she helplessly watches him get whisked away so many times that she eventually gives up and goes outside to the common room balcony for air.

There, where I assume the air is slightly cooler, rests the ice sculpture that Naminé so delicately sculpted for Roxas' birthday. From the window, I can see its intricate detail and gentle artisanship. It is as if she recreated her tender caress with a chisel.

The Roxas she has sculpted displays him at his best and most peaceful: sitting with his legs crossed, eyes closed, and strumming a chord on his guitar (although someone has chopped off part of his hand to cool their drink). Ice Roxas looks upward, and Naminé captures the serenity so beautifully that she gives the sculpture life.

She kneels down to examine it and stares at it with a look I have seen so many times. It is the classic look of unrequited love –or so she thinks.

She sighs and is about to walk back into the common room until she clumsily slips on a leaf and falls toward ice Roxas. She does not damage the sculpture, thankfully, but she does fall at a rather questionable position.

Her hands find refuge on ice Roxas' shoulders for balance, but her lips happen to coincidentally press against his.

I mentally high five the plant outside for dropping that leaf at such a perfect spot.

I suddenly see Kairi and Roxas heading for the balcony door. I jingle one of my bells alarmingly as if expecting Naminé to hear me, but she's still kissing ice Roxas. Thankfully, she hears people coming and begins to pry herself off the sculpture, but for some odd reason she cannot escape.

Oh goodness.

Sweet sea-salt ice cream.

Her lips are _stuck to the sculpture_.

…

This is going to be interesting.

"Are you sure you saw Naminé walk through here?" Roxas asks as he opens the door midway. "I don't think she'd come out in the cold all by her…"

Roxas and Kairi stop dead in their tracks when they see Naminé on the ground. The artist tries to cover her mouth, but it is futile. What she appears to be doing looks so obvious in their eyes.

" –self…" Roxas finishes abruptly.

His cheeks heat up and I can feel that his heart is ready to leap out of his chest. He looks extremely flattered, but shocked.

"Uh…" he begins unsurely. He starts to scratch one of his tinted cheeks.

Kairi merely covers her mouth and attempts to stifle her laughter.

Luckily Hayner, who happens to be making quite the commotion inside, saves Naminé.

The students inside currently watch with amusement as Hayner tries to find a piñata with a blindfold over his eyes. He mindlessly swings his struggle bat around to find the candy-filled moogle, but his overconsumption of elixir causes him to stumble and nearly hit a few people. The first of my friends to meet his wrath is the vase. He falls to the ground and shatters into hundreds of heartbreaking pieces. The next is the couch, but he is spared only because Hayner clumsily trips on one of his legs and curses.

The tip of the struggle bat eventually comes in contact with the tip of one of my branches, and Hayner, although blindfolded, looks as if he has found what he's been looking for. His ears perk up, his grip tightens, and a sick smile tugs on his lips.

I gulp.

He thinks I'm the piñata.

I can already hear the lamp bidding me farewell.

The first swing brings me to the ground, the second kills a Nutcracker. Shouts of protest and dying bells fill the room, but Hayner is too engrossed with whacking me to death that the audience's cries of anguish mean nothing to him. He beats me once, twice, thrice.

By the fourth hit, my lights go out and all I see is black.

* * *

The lamp tells me that I slowly come back to consciousness at around five in the morning.

The common room is empty and dark, but the little light I appear to be emitting dimly illuminates the room. With a hint of surprise I notice that the place is not completely trashed –in fact, it's nearly cleaned up. Two teenagers remain in the room to finish the job, and it is none other than Roxas and Naminé.

I feel the artist's hands shake as she places a little drummer boy on me. The boy's presence makes her nervous. That's adorable.

"I have to say, Naminé, you did a very good job decorating the tree this year," Roxas compliments as he places the star on my head.

"You helped me re-decorate it," Naminé reminds him with a smile. "Give yourself some recognition."

When Roxas fastens the star in place, he steps back one-step on the ladder to admire his work. The look of approval, fulfillment, and happiness that he and Naminé give me boost my self-esteem and remind me why I love being who I am.

I can't think of anything better than having people look at me with such spirit.

"Oh!" Naminé suddenly exclaims, abruptly killing the moment. She retrieves a large package from the kitchen and presents it to Roxas with a sheepish grin.

"It turns out that you were my Secret Santa," she says, thrusting the rather heavy gift in his arms. "I decided to take your advice and get something that both genders would appreciate, so here."

As Roxas unwraps the gift, Naminé twiddles her thumbs nervously. He tears off the last of the wrapping paper and smiles widely at the picture frame. Inside is a picture of the entire gang attempting to decorate me sketched by Naminé herself. Roxas' eyes do not leave the paper. He makes sure he appreciates every single detail of Naminé's hard work. He squints and catches his cousin helplessly wrapped in Christmas lights on the bottom right as his girlfriend laughs at his naïveté.

"Wow, Sora is on point," Roxas points out with a chuckle.

He scans the picture for himself and almost thinks that Naminé didn't include him because of his absence, but he sees himself on the bottom step of the ladder supporting his best friend by the waist as she places the star on my head. I might be mistaken, but this composition seems to suggest that Roxas is the one who lifts Naminé up and helps her see the light in things.

"It's not my best work," the artist admits defensively, "but I hope you like it anyway."

Roxas shakes his head and chuckles at her modesty: one of the many things he likes about her.

"Anyone would have been blessed to receive this, Nams," Roxas says, and he genuinely means it.

I suddenly recall my earlier days back in Wal-Mart. I remember the children looking at me with wonder and glee. I remember the looks of fulfillment I received when the workers were done decorating me. I even remember the loving looks that the men gave their partners when they pointed at me with amazement… it is the same look of respect and admiration that Roxas gives Naminé now.

"I got something for you, too," he then says. He pulls out a gift basket that he hid behind the couch and gives it to Naminé with an excited grin.

"Aw," she says, accepting the basket graciously. "You're only supposed to get a gift for your Secret Santa."

"It's nothing much," Roxas says, but with a hint of suspicion.

Naminé pulls the coloured tissue off the top layer of the basket and frowns at Roxas when she sees what's inside.

"Really?" she asks disbelievingly, but she smiles when she says it. Inside is a kit complete with Twilight Wood body washes, lotions, sprays –the works.

"Look _under_," Roxas suggests.

Naminé pushes aside the feminine products and gasps when she sees the rather expensive looking paintbrushes and paint palettes underneath.

"Consider it my 'sorry I've been gone for a year' gift," Roxas says with a sheepish grin.

Naminé drops the basket and throws herself at Roxas with such force that he nearly knocks into me.

Phew, that was a close one.

"I'm sorry," I then hear Naminé whisper into Roxas' chest. "I didn't get you a present that… well, doesn't melt."

"Really?" He pushes her away gently with a teasing smile. "Your _heart_ didn't melt when you were kissing ice Roxas outside?"

Naminé blushes madly and hits his chest.

"Okay one, _gaaaay_. And two, for the last time, I slipped on a _leaf_," Naminé explains, still red faced.

"Oh I'm sure," Roxas says, obviously unconvinced. "Either way," he whispers huskily as he traces her jaw line, "I'd like to continue where you left off."

_Fuck_.

Even I got hard from that.

Roxas chuckles when he feels her body temperature rise under his touch.

"So what do you say, Nams?" he asks, lifting her chin so that she can look him in the eye.

"I think that's a lovely idea," she whispers, and he wastes no time. The fireplace roars, the kettle screams, the flowers bloom despite the lack of sunlight.

This is my favourite part about Christmas –not the kissing, per se, but the gathering of loved ones for a special occasion. I witness it every year and the wide smiles, grateful expressions, and signs of affection never get old.

This, however, is getting freakier than I expected. Roxas manages to lead Naminé to the couch, and the instant her back hits the cushiony surface he pounces.

This is certainly familiar.

Surprisingly Roxas keeps things at a PG-13 level and pulls away from the kiss with a blissful sigh. He looks down at the girl breathing heavily beneath him and gently caresses one of her flushed cheeks. He looks at her with the same sincerity and care as his cousin towards his own girlfriend.

"What are you thinking, Roxas?" Naminé asks when she notices his lack of speech and movement. He drinks in the dimly lit room, the hot weather, the girl.

"Hm? Oh, nothing, just…" He steals another kiss and smiles against her lips. "It's good to be back."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

* * *

**CHALLENGE BREAKDOWN**

**Three mandatory/ universal challenges:**

**1) Secret Santa  
2) Spiked punch  
3) The tree gets its ass handed to it (not literally unless one chooses to do so) **

**JOMATTO**

**Chosen challenge: Characters briefly and seriously consider an orgy (RE's suggestion)**

**Drawn challenge: Holiday massage (Jomatto's suggestion)**

**REDEEMING ENDEAVOR**

**Chosen challenge: People bid on gifts through illicit acts (Jomatto's suggestion)**

**Drawn challenge: Fire alarm (RE's suggestion)**

**KYORII**

**Chosen challenge: Involve an ice sculpture (Jomatto's suggestion)**

**Drawn challenge: Assume the role of an inanimate object/ piece of furniture (my stupid ass suggestion)**

* * *

**A/N: **Hello, hello! I hope you enjoyed the final installment of "It's Good To Be Back"! I can confidently say that the tree perspective challenge was the _hardest_ thing to overcome. I put that suggestion in the hat thinking that Redeeming Endeavor would get it (and when he got it I would've laughed… _hard_), but karma just LOL'd in my face.

It was such a pleasure working with Redeeming Endeavor and Jomatto. They are such funny, co-operative, realistic, and_ nosy_ (you already know, Jomatto) people. I remember when Redeeming Endeavor found out that Jomatto was officially joining our collaboration. We were both in class (right, I'm in university now, when did that happen?) and _freaked out _via PM message. That night, we all spoke for the first time until 4AM and birthed this hot mess. I hope you all liked it! You can witness our behind the scenes adventures on a link that I'll be posting on my profile page.

So where exactly have I been for the last year and a half, you ask? Experiencing life, to keep it short and sweet. No, I didn't abandon my readers. No, I didn't give up my passion for writing. No, I didn't get eaten by a moose or a beaver or any other stereotypical Canadian animal.

As I mentioned earlier, I started my first year of university and just finished my first semester. I'm majoring in Film, and so far, it's been great, although my work ethic has definitely gotten weaker since high school lol. All that hard work in high school to get a scholarship just drains you at some point, but at least I got the scholarship!

I've also published a book for my eighteenth birthday, and as mentioned above, you can purchase it online and read more about it near the top of my profile page. I hope you enjoy it if you decide to purchase it! Consider it my "sorry I've been gone for a year" present. Sound familiar? Haha.

I believe that's all I have to say for now, but I definitely won't forget to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays. I really do miss reading your reviews and interacting with all of you. I hope you all continue to stay tuned, and I'll do my best to update when I can! Thank you all again for your unfailing support. There isn't a day where I forget it.

**Kyorii**


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